Reading time: About 2 minutes Many of us understand the value of declaring top priorities, but what is the special magic associated with the number three? By Ann Gomez As a kid, I used to love going to Baskin Robbins. The 31 flavours of ice cream lit up my visual […]
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Reading time: About 3 minutes We can all get things done if we’re willing to work hard enough. But here’s some useful advice on how to work smarter…. I’m working on a big project right now. I’m writing and recording lessons for a course on editing that I plan to
How to work smarter, not harder Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world for material to help other writers. Today I discuss a suggestion for how to avoid writer’s block… One of the most successful composers and performers of all time, Paul McCartney is
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Viewing time: 5 mins 42 secs The Write Question is a weekly video podcast about writing that I started in 2017 and that ran, more or less weekly, until April 2022. This is a republication of issue #74, with advice on increasing blog traffic. The post first ran on Nov.
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Reading time: About one minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about similes from Yoko Ogawa…. Yoko Ogawa is a Japanese writer who has published more than 20 works of fiction and nonfiction, and has won every major Japanese
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Reading time: About 3 minutes If you want to become a far more productive writer, learn how to take a work-free vacation… By Ann Gomez Earlier in my career, vacations seemed to add to (rather than alleviate) stress. I could feel my anxiety rising leading up to any vacation. My
How to enjoy a work-free vacation (without working 24/7 the week before and after) Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world for material to help other writers. Today I discuss a blog post that could transform your writing by prompting you to use strong verbs… When I was in grade school
Do strong verbs power your writing? Read More »
Viewing time: 5 mins. 41 secs. The Write Question is a weekly video podcast about writing that I started in 2017 and that ran, more or less weekly, until April 2022. This is a republication of issue #73, with advice on how to use readability stats. The post first ran
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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 similes and metaphors from Mary Choi…. I have three sisters so I’m always up for novels exploring the often-crazy dynamics of family relationships. The delightful novel Yolk,
The figurative language of Mary Choi… Read More »
Reading time: Just over 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: hobbledehoy… I thought I knew the meaning of the word ‘hobbledehoy,’ but it turns out I was only partly right. I encountered
What does ‘hobbledehoy’ mean? Read More »
