Word count: 496 words Reading time: Less than 2 minutes Let me give you the reasons why you shouldn’t be terribly eager to accept the label “good writer.” Our society is pretty funny (funny-strange, not funny-ha-ha) when it comes to the word “good.” This one-syllable, four-letter word is both vague and imprecise and yet it’s […]
Are you a good writer? (I hope not!) Read More »
Word count: 691 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes I know this will make me sound horribly old-fashioned, but I’ve been convinced that all writers — even non-fiction ones — should read poetry. Here’s why…. My relationship with poetry has been troubled. It didn’t start well. When I was a child, my father —
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Word count: 752 words Reading time: About 3 minutes Here are some writing tips if you ever need to change your style…. I remember walking by my daughter’s bedroom some four years ago and catching her at her computer, weeping. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” I asked with concern. “I c-c-c-can’t write t-t-t-this essay,” she said through
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Word count: 234 words Reading time: Less than 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. Here is one by Michael Ondaatje. Although I liked the novel The English Patient,
Sleep is a prison… Read More »
Word count: 203 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute Every week, I tell you about a book or a piece of technology for writers. Today I focus on a terrific organizational tool, Shovebox… Do you have a junk drawer anywhere in your house? You know what I mean — it’s the place where you
Take this Shovebox and use it! Read More »
Word count: 206 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute If you increase your vocabulary, you’ll not only benefit your own reading, you’ll also become more precise in your writing. Here is my word of the week. Whenever I encounter a word that interests me I jot a quick note about it in my iPhone. Usually,
What does prosaic mean? Read More »
Word count: 656 words Reading time: About 2.5 minutes Did you smile when a host of Mary Poppinses floated down from the ceiling during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics? The Games have writing tips to teach us as well… My summer sport is walking – not a competitive event, at least not the way
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Word count: 212 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute Each week I scan the Internet to identify websites of particular interest to writers. I’ve told you before that when I’m asked to name my hobbies, I always include reading and cooking. And it seems there are a lot of other writers just like me.
Finding intellectual nourishment from food writers Read More »
Word count: 146 words Reading time: About 30 seconds A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. Here is a sentence by Lauren Groff I read recently that I’d happily imitate. I recently finished The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff (thanks for the suggestion, Charlie!) Not only
A thousand belly flops of terror by Lauren Groff Read More »
Word count: 195 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute Today, I tell you about a piece of technology that can help writers. It’s called Google docs and it’s 100% free of charge! I knew it was possible to edit collaboratively even if the other people were halfway around the world. I just didn’t know which
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