Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about simile and personification from Jon McGregor… British novelist and short story writer, Jon McGregor (pictured above) had his first novel If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2002, making […]
The figurative language of Jon McGregor… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Increase your vocabulary and you’ll make your writing much more precise. That’s why I provide a word of the week. Today’s word: lambency… I encountered the word lambency while reading Elizabeth Strout’s remarkable novel Anything is Possible. If you’re looking for a good book to read — a series
What is ‘lambency’? Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes Are you the type of person who finds editing to be a discouraging, torturous process? Here’s how to come to terms with editing…. Many of the people I work with start off by detesting writing. Instead, they’d much rather be editing. In fact, I’d say this describes about 80% of
Come to terms with editing — here’s how Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help other writers. Today I discuss a podcast interview with Greta Gerwig…. I love hearing other writers reflect on the art of writing. Their thoughts fascinate and energize me,
Greta Gerwig on writing…. Read More »
Reading time: Just over 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of similies from Lisa Ko… The first of her family to be born in the US, Chinese-American writer Lisa Ko (pictured above) is the author of the novel The Leavers,
The figurative language of Lisa Ko… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Increase your vocabulary and you’ll make your writing much more precise. That’s why I provide a word of the week. Today’s word: oneiric… I can’t remember who recommended the novel We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves to me. But I read the book, by Karen Joy Fowler, during a
What does ‘oneiric’ mean? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help other writers. Today I discuss some research relating to 30 lost words…. I’ve written before about lost writing — how to cope when the words you have
Could you use any of these 30 lost words? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of metaphors and similes from Kathryn Schulz… As a longtime fan of the New Yorker, I keep an eye out for writers I like. Then, when my weekly copy
The figurative language of Kathryn Schulz… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Increase your vocabulary and you’ll make your writing much more precise. That’s why I provide a word of the week. Today’s word: anfractuous… I encountered the byline, ‘Anthony Horowitz,’ somewhere during the last year and — because I found his writing amusing — made a mental note of his
What does ‘anfractuous’ mean? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 4 minutes Is it worth even thinking about writing during holiday time? If your answer is “maybe,” consider the ways in which you might be able to improve your focus… While many writing bloggers are currently addressing burning issues like best holiday gifts for writers and how to take a break during
How to improve your focus — during or after holidays… Read More »
