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 other writers. Today I discuss a blog post about why we should stop refreshing the news… Have you heard? There’s a […]
Are you still refreshing the news? 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 similes and metaphors from Casey Cep… Typically, when I find figurative language, the writing is somewhat flowery. I mean that in a good way of course,
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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: demesne…. Mark Haddon is a fine novelist with one bestseller behind him, and a new book in the offing. The celebrated 2003
What does the word ‘demesne’ mean? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 4 minutes Social distancing is sending many of us scurrying to our screens. But is that a good idea? How can we cope when our lives are governed by screens? If you’re a writer, odds are high you’re an introvert — someone who regains energy by
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I consult with many writers who have more than one project on the go. Sometimes they get frustrated that one project is “taking off” while another is dragging behind. “What’s the solution?” they ask me, with enormous frustration in their voices. You may find my answer surprising, but the solution is to work on both
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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 images from chef and writer Gabrielle Hamilton… I read a piece in the April 23/20 New York Times that knocked my socks off.
The figurative language of Gabrielle Hamilton…. 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: hornswoggle… When I encountered the word hornswoggle in Elizabeth Gilbert’s new novel City of Girls, I knew exactly what it meant: to
What’s the origin of ‘hornswoggle’? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 3 minutes If you want to become a faster writer, think about how you can practice typing during the pandemic. Agile fingers will help you better keep up with your brain… I learned to type on a typesetting machine. I’d wanted to learn in high school
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I’ve long advocated having all academics keep a research diary. (See my initial post about the idea, here.) Now I’m going to present the argument that all WRITERS should keep a diary as well. I came around to this way of thinking recently, after receiving an email from a one-on-one coaching client of mine. Like
Research diary or writing diary? You choose! 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 and similes from Elizabeth Gilbert…. I know that Elizabeth Gilbert — author of Eat, Pray, Love — isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
The figurative language of Elizabeth Gilbert… Read More »
