Word count: 272 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute The best way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. For this reason I regularly write down sentences I’ve picked up in my own recent reading. Today’s comes from Julie Otsuka. This summer I read the novel The Buddha in […]
And for a moment we forgot to breathe…. Read More »
Word count: 298 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute Here is information on a software service for writers. I volunteer for lots of writing across the Internet and I also allow you — or any other reader — to reprint any of my copy, without emailing me. But I insist on full credit for
When trust fails, Copyscape works Read More »
Word count: 191 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute If you build your vocabulary, you’ll not only benefit your reading, you’ll also become more precise in your writing. Here is my word of the week. I’ve never encountered any of Regina O’Melveny‘s poetry but, this summer I read her first novel, The Book of
What’s an “alembic”? Read More »
Word count: 755 words Reading time: About 3 minutes Do you need some writing help? Here’s a clear and plain list of what I can do for you. When I work or volunteer, I never get asked to sell. Instead, I tend to do things that are literary, organizational or helpful. In high school, I
Do you need some writing help? Read More »
Word count: 234 words 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 writers. Today I introduce you to eggcorns…. My friend Rochelle Triester introduced me to the charming site Eggcorns. If you’re not familiar
It’s the time of year for eggcorns! Read More »
Word count: 251 words Reading time: About 1 minute The best way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. For this reason I regularly write down sentences I’ve picked up in my own recent reading. I like cleverness and wit in writing. Perhaps this is the reason I so much
A deep respect for the money it loathes… Read More »
Word count: 269 words Reading time: About 1 minute Here I tell you about a piece of technology that can help writers. Do you have the habit of regularly backing up your computer files? No? Let me tell you about my system. I am a backup freak. This isn’t because I’ve had a colossal failure
How BackBlaze stops me from awfulizing Read More »
Word count: 233 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute If you build your vocabulary, you’ll not only benefit your reading, you’ll also become more precise in your writing. Here is my word of the week, liminality. When I read liminality, an image of a doorway floated through my brain. Here is the sentence in which
What is liminality? Read More »
Word count: 758 words Reading time: About 3 minutes If your son or daughter — or you — needs to learn how to write an essay or a shortish report, here is a column you might want to copy and tape to your fridge…. It’s a red-letter day in my household. Our 18-year-old triplets are all
How to write an essay without losing your mind Read More »
Word count: 262 words Reading time: 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 writers. I had just finished reading an excellent New Yorker profile of Bruce Sprinsteen when a friend sent me a Tumbler #storyboard article
What you can learn from the man who wrote a Bruce Springsteen profile Read More »
