5 writing exercises for epic skill gainz

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In order to write well, you have to write frequently.

Oh snap! Secret’s out!

Makes sense, though. Whether you’re a seasoned writer trying to hone your skills or a box-fresh newbie wanting to learn the ropes, making the time to write frequently is the way to win.

I’ve rounded up a few of my fave writing exercises to help you flex them writing muscles and make some serious gainz!

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1) One Minute Briefs

Ever heard of @OneMinuteBriefs?  They post a brief on Twitter and you have to just one minute to create a response.

It’s fast, dirty, and guaranteed to get your creative muscles feeling the burn.

Challenge accepted!
 

2) Write one paragraph every day

It doesn’t matter what, where or when, just do this every day.

Sit yourself down with a pen and paper and just write a paragraph about anything.

Even if it’s just: “I’m sitting down and I’m writing a paragraph about anything. Now I’m taking a sip of tea and thinking about how stupid this exercise is…”

Getting into the habit of writing and writing daily is a good one. Keep it up!
 

3) Rewrite the ending

This is a personal favourite of mine.

Choose a film or book with an ending you don’t like, and rewrite it your way.

You could give Romeo and Juliet a wedding in Vegas or make sure Ferris Bueller gets caught.

I pilfered this particular exercise from Game of Thrones author, George R. R. Martin, so you know it’s the good shit.
 

4) Remove the adjectives

This is an exercise I was set in a creative writing class back when I was studying for my master’s degree. We were asked to write a 500 word micro story without adjectives.

Holy crap is it hard.

Just to check you’re down with your English language lingo, an adjective is a describing word.

For example:

The tarantula had a plump body and hairy legs.

Now imagine a story without any of those sexy details. Madness!
 

5) Précis

Here’s another writing exercise ripped from the pages of my master’s degree notebook. This time it comes courtesy of my journalism lecturer, Danuta Kean.

Start by pulling a headline and body copy from one of your favourite websites. Now edit it down to half the size, while still keeping in all the relevant bits of info and brand tone of voice.

When you're done, cut it in half again.

Then again.

Then reduce it to the size of a PPC ad.

This is an editing exercise that’ll help you isolate the important messaging in commercial copy, then teach you which bits are safe to cut, depending on the space you have to work with.
 
 
That’s enough reading for now, wouldn’t you say? Head off and try a spot of writing.

It’s fun AND useful!