101 Creative Writing Exercises

by Melissa Donovan

101 Creative Writing Exercises takes you on an adventure through the world of creative writing. Explore different forms and genres by experimenting with fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Discover effective writing concepts, tools, and techniques. Create projects you can submit and publish.

Freewriting
Journaling and Memoir
Fiction and Storytelling
Form Poetry and Free Verse
Article and Blog Writing

Ideal for new and experienced writers alike, this book will enlighten and inspire you with exciting new ideas.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Education

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 5, 2012

About the author

I have been inhaling books for as long as I can remember. I started writing poetry and keeping a journal at thirteen and haven't stopped writing since.

I studied creative writing at Sonoma State University, earning a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing. Since then, I have worked as a technical writer, copywriter, professional blogger, and writing coach.

My blog, Writing Forward, is packed with creative writing tips and ideas.

Check out my books: The Adventures in Writing series includes 101 Creative Writing Exercises, 10 Core Practices for Better Writing, and 1200 Creative Writing Prompts. The Storyteller's Toolbox series includes What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing.

Reviews

[Melissa Donovan]

Did I read this book? I wrote it!

My goal was to take writers on an adventure through creative writing. If you like writing in different forms and genres, then this book is for you! These exercises are designed to promote creativity but they'll also inspire practical projects that can be submitted and published (it was very important to me that each exercise had potential to become a publishable project). You'll also learn about literary terms, storytelling devices, and tons of writing concepts.

Let the adventure begin!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must start by saying that I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review. Having said that, I had purchased it previously and had started to read it. So getting the extra copy gave me the 'oomph' to get it read.
I found this a really useful book. It gives the opportunity together with guidance to explore some different areas of writing that I hadn't tried before, ranging from free writing to exploring characters, dialogue to poetry. Each chapter had exercises within them to try out the themes mentioned.
I especially liked the chapter on form verse, which gave a brief but valuable overall picture of the different types of poems. It is one of the areas of writing where I do feel particularly daunted.

This book would be a good resource for someone who is a beginner to the writing game. Even for those of us who have been writing for a while, it acts as a reminder in those areas we are familiar with, whilst informing on those areas that we aren't. I found that for the exercises alone this is a great book to have and coupled with Melissa Donovan's readable prose makes it a wonderful read.

[Nisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for this review.
As a non-writer, I was initially overwhelmed with the amount of things I am unaware of in the writing space. It came off as being a lot of information at first. What helped is the way the information is sectioned off by what it is, the exercise, tips, variation and application.
It is also sectioned off in a way that although it comes off as a lot, it is in nuggets at a time.

[Margret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great exercise book. I've been using the prompts and I love it.

[Cruz Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Italo Perazzoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and Good exercises.

[Madyson Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book after receiving it in a giveaway. Let me preface my review by saying that I am graduating in elementary education this year, and I was interested in using this book to teach creative writing in my classroom. That being said, I think that this is a fantastic resource - whether you are trying to learn creative writing for yourself, or if you are trying to teach creative writing. Each chapter has a different theme of creative writing: freewriting, fiction, storytelling, poetry, article and blog writing, and more. Each chapter also has tips and applications for each exercise that it gives. For example, chapter 6 is all about storytelling. It doesn't just give you prompts for storytelling. It gives you 10 different ways to format your story, and with each format, it gives you a prompt that will fit this style, and it gives tips for using this style effectively. So if you already have an idea for a story, you can pick the style/format that works best for your story. OR, if you don't have an idea already, you can pick which style you want to play with, and use the prompt that Donovan provides.
As an educator, I am really excited to use this book when conferencing with my students about their writing. I think it has some AMAZING ideas. I was just expecting it to be 101 prompts to write about - but it is so much more. It actually gives you the tools for creative writing, and it gives me the tools to teach creative writing skills.