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: threnody. I read Anne-Marie MacDonald’s landmark novel, Fall on Your Knees, back in 1997, the year in which it was published. Set largely in a Nova Scotia coal mining […]
What is a threnody? Read More »
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 an article containing a description of Jerry Seinfeld’s writing strategy… Are you the kind of writer who procrastinates? A lot? Let me share with you
Jerry Seinfeld’s writing strategy Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes There’s plenty of collateral damage from Jian Ghomeshi — an object lesson in crisis communications gone wrong… When I coach clients on how to prepare for crisis communications, I have one key message for them. It’s something my mother told me when I was a kid: Don’t guess. This may
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Reading time: About 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 Shane Koyczen. I first heard spoken-word poet Shane Koyczen when he performed at the 2010 winter Olympics, hosted by Vancouver. He was a marvel: Articulate. Powerful. Challenging.
Evocative language from Shane Koyczen 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: swards. I read William Trevor’s 1994 novel Felicia’s Journey in a mad panic last November. I was desperate to hit my goal of 52 books before the end of the
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Has anyone ever told you that sitting is the new smoking? Here’s what I’m doing about that…. I didn’t make a new year’s resolution to use a standing desk. It just kind of crept up on me… If you’ve read my column for any length of time you’ll know
Hello, meet my new standing desk 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 Cal Newport blog post about the frustration of thinking… Even though I have no interest in math or computing sciences,
How to make thinking more exciting Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes Did you develop a list of new year’s resolutions yesterday? Not me! I’m sticking with rituals for 2015. Welcome to 2015. If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you may remember that I’ve given up on the idea of new year’s resolutions. But I welcome rituals. Here, then,
My new rituals for 2015 Read More »
Reading time: Just over 2 minutes When making your holiday plans, think about the neuroscience of willpower and writing before taking your break… I’m a sucker for free shipping. In fact, that’s why there’s never any shipping charge for my own book. So, when I bought a bunch of Amazon titles for Christmas recently, it thrilled me to realize I
Holidays, writing & the neuroscience of willpower 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 joint event by Joan Didion and Vanessa Redgrave… It took me 18 months to screw up the courage to read Joan Didion’s
Blue Nights by Joan Didion gets new life… Read More »
