QuickAdvice: Write Away For iPhone Is Your Daily Writing Coach

Once you launch the app, you’ll find a pleasant backdrop with a famous quote to inspire you as your exercise is about to begin. Upon launching the app or returning to Home, you'll get a different quote each time.

“To draw, you must close your eyes and sign,” by Pablo Picasso. The bottom toolbar consists of Home, Fetch Words, Settings and Instruction buttons.

Fetch Words is your work area where your writing session will always take place. You'll get three random words and an option to Start Writing. The Instructions spell out the coach's rules for your daily sessions.

Three words and 600 seconds, are you ready? Tap Fetch Words, take your time to digest the words, but when you click Start Writing, the countdown timer begins.

You'll begin by writing a sentence incorporating the first word listed. The second word must then be used within the first paragraph. You get a bit of a break with the last word since you're free to use it anywhere you choose.

Though the rules are specific, this app can't tell you how well you did, so you are your own judge.

Once you've completed your session, you can share your work via Facebook, e-mail or by publishing it on the Write Away website.

600 seconds may feel like plenty of time with just three words, but the time goes by very quickly.

While some of the words were simple, others were a bit harder. The combination of words provide the biggest challenge.

I tested myself with five sessions and not only enjoyed the challenge, but improved a bit from the first session to the fifth.

My first words were gulled, urn and impure. I imagined a conman taking advantage of an unsuspecting factory worker, while manipulating him to give up the only money he and his wife had to pay for their rent. As I continued to develop the story in my mind, I ran out of time before I included the third word.

I noticed myself improving a bit from the first to fifth session and could see how this daily activity could help enhance your writing.

It was fun using my imagination to turn three random words into a short story. The complexity is dependent upon the words and combination you're supplied with since there are no difficulty settings. If I were to use this tool each day, I would need some features added.

A dictionary definition is a must. If you don’t know a word, how can you use it in a sentence? You have to jump over to Safari or your browser to define the word, then go back to the app. Not very convenient. The other additions I would like to see would be a search tool and a better way to manage the dictionary.

Currently, you can add words to the database, but lack the ability to delete or hide words.

After adding a word to the dictionary, don't expect to start practicing your word. The app randomly selects words within the database so it could be quite a few sessions until your word appears. I would like to see functionality added to randomize the words without leaving the screen. Clicking back and forth from Home to Fetch Words gives you a new set, but a random button would be a welcome addition.

Write Away is a clever app. It provides helpful exercises to enhance your writing skills. Though additional functionality would improve this app tremendously, the daily exercises are fun and quite helpful.