Reading time: Just over 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of metaphors and similes from Megha Majumdar… When Megha Majumdar (pictured above) wrote her debut novel, she was working as an editor at Catapult […]
The figurative language of Megha Majumdar 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: brachiated…. The word brachiated is an interesting one. I recently encountered it in Elizabeth McCracken’s amusing novel, Bowlaway. Here is how she
What does ‘brachiated’ mean? Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Are you doing enough stuff that is purposeless, fun and pleasurable? If not, perhaps you need to add more play to your life… I’ve always disliked playing cards and most games. Monopoly? Boring and it takes too long. Candyland? I played way too many rounds
Why we all need to add more play to our lives Read More »
I recently read a blog post about the alleged benefits of writing a rough draft by hand. Too bad the author, Bryn Donovan, hasn’t consulted any of the science! If you’d like to see an interesting video about the scientific benefits of writing with a keyboard, please check out a 10-minute video by Clive Thompson,
When you shouldn’t write by hand Read More »
Reading time: Just over 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 writer Alix Ohlin… Three years ago, I picked up a novel by Canadian writer Alix Ohlin, from a shelf in a
Alix Ohlin’s figurative language…. 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: perfidious…. I confess there are words I’ve heard multiple times and I still don’t know exactly what they mean. Back in the
What does the word ‘perfidious’ mean? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes In view of last week’s death of American Supreme Court associate justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I am re-running a column I wrote in 2017 focusing on some of her writing advice…. I have long admired the feistiness, clear writing style and commitment to hard
Writing advice from the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg Read More »
People in the Get It Done group are sometimes surprised when I suggest they plan NOT to write on certain days. Why do I make this counterintuitive suggestion? Basically, this idea is about common sense. On some days, we simply have too much else going on in our lives. Perhaps you are leading a workshop
When you should plan NOT to write Read More »
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 similes and metaphors from Olaf Olafsson…. I often enjoy the clear, crisp, unadorned style of Scandinavian writers. I was struck by that feeling again
The figurative language of Olaf Olafsson…. 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: glossolalic… As a former high school debater and debate coach, I don’t think I’ve ever before encountered debating as an event in
What does ‘glossolalic’ mean Read More »
