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 metaphors and similes from Alison Wearing…. An award-winning Canadian writer, playwright and performer, Alison Wearing (pictured above) knows her way around memoir. I […]
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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: etiolated…. I encounter a word, every once in a while, that I’m sure I must know. It sounds familiar and yet, when I
What does ‘etiolated’ mean? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 4 minutes Looking for some recommended books in time for Christmas gifts or wintertime reading? Here’s my semi-annual roundup of books I’ve read this year. I aim to read at least 52 books every 12 months and my habit is to post a complete list of the names
Recommended books: winter 2020 Read More »
Viewing time: 54 minutes Here is the original text of an early chapter in a book by an academic writer for which I did a substantive edit in the video shown above. (Note that I have removed the footnotes in the version below.) I realize that the video is very long and may be of
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Reading time: Just over 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 blog post about perfectionism… Many writers tell me that their biggest problem is perfectionism. They
Is your depression masquerading as perfectionism? 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 metaphors from Maria Konnikova… My reading affections are more or less equally divided between novels and non-fiction. But in the latter category, I
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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: rubicund…. When I’m reading, I’m always looking for new or interesting words. Sometimes, I’m surprised to find thoughtful and sophisticated books almost
What’s the meaning of ‘rubicund’? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 5 minutes Here are my 10 favourite articles or posts from last month, focusing on the most useful, helpful and healthful pieces for writers. As American Thanksgiving approaches, Black Friday looms and we start preparing for Christmas, perhaps it’s time to step back and consider our
PubCoach top 10: November 2020 Read More »
Viewing time: 33 minutes Here is the original text of the piece of short fiction for which I did a substantive edit in the video shown above. Raj Kishore by Pankaj Tandon Naresh knew that his father, Raj Kishore Taneja, had seen action during the Second World War. He was an officer in what was
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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 similes and metaphors from Niall Williams…. An Irish writer whose novels have received critical acclaim and widespread success, Niall Williams is known for
Niall Williams’s figurative language… Read More »
