Word count: 238 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. Here is a sentence I read recently that I’d happily imitate. I received the marvellous book Swallowing the Sea, by Lee Upton, as a birthday gift from a friend. It […]
A dare that begins with a writing prompt… Read More »
Word count: 281 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute If you increase your vocabulary you’ll not only help your reading, you’ll also make your writing more precise. Here is my word of the week. I like understanding medical terminology. It somehow makes me feel as though I’ve infiltrated a secret society. What I find
Word count: 746 words Reading time: About 3 minutes I’m a big believer in templates and systems. But what should you do if your writing process suddenly stops working for you? I really struggled with writing the last two issues of Power Writing. (I’m hoping you didn’t notice.) Ironically, those issues focused on the topic
What do to when your writing process fails you Read More »
Word count: 400 words Reading time: About 1.5 minutes This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help writers. If you ever need to do some essay writing for senior high school or college/university, be sure to get yourself a copy of the book They Say,
The moves that matter in essay writing Read More »
Word count: 238 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. Here is a sentence I read recently that I’d happily imitate. Lee Upton is an American poet who also writes literary criticism and non-fiction. A friend gave me her book,
That astonishing thing: writing a novel… Read More »
Word count: 222 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute If you increase your vocabulary you’ll not only help your reading, you’ll also make your writing more precise. Here is my word of the week. My friend Marcelle, sent me a link to a public radio post because she liked one of the words so
What is senescence? Read More »
Word count: 688 words Reading time: About 3 minutes Here is the final entry in my three-part series on Deliberate Practice for writers. Be sure to read parts 1 and 2 first. (On the suggestion of reader Tracy Isaacs I rewrote this post on Oct 30 to express it in a more positive way — stressing what you should
How to use Deliberate Practice when writing – part 3 Read More »
Word count: 250 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. One of my weekly blog entries now relates to figurative language. Does this seem odd for someone who specializes in non-fiction writing? I
Why you should consider Metaphorically Selling Read More »
Word count: 304 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. Here is a sentence I read recently that I’d happily imitate. I don’t know much about David Remnick, (pictured above) but I’m a big fan of his writing which I
Bruce Springsteen’s eyes narrow, as if in hard light Read More »
Word count: 248 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute If you increase your vocabulary you’ll not only help your reading, you’ll also make your writing more precise. Here is my word of the week. Richard Wagamese is an author and journalist from the Ojibway Wabasseemoong First Nation in northwestern Ontario. His charming and heartfelt novel, Ragged Company,
What does chiaroscuro mean? Read More »
