Reading time: About 2 minutes I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about similes and metaphors from Mick Herron… Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He is the author of the Slough House series, early novels of that have been adapted into the Slow Horses television series. He won […]
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Reading time: About 2 minutes Mel Williams believes that writing is less a talent and more of a learned practice and a deliberate act… Mel Williams is a Toronto-based writer living with an acquired disability. She practices narrative advocacy — telling stories that quietly challenge societal norms and broaden our understanding of one another. She
Reflections on writing with Mel Williams… Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes There’s a big difference between simple and simplistic. Is your writing too simple? Probably not… I’m guessing you’d be unhappy if someone called your writing “dumbed down.” Yup, that’s an insult. The word “dumb” is the clue. But what if someone described your writing as “clear and easy to read”?
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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 the idea of a distractions list…. When you write, do you ever find yourself getting distracted? Be honest now. Maybe it’s your phone. Perhaps it’s the
Should you keep a distractions list? Read More »
Viewing time: 3 mins 27 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 #190, which addresses the pros and cons of starting over with a writing project. 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 from Abi Daré. Abi Daré is a Nigerian author who now lives in Essex, England. She has a degree in law from the University of Wolverhampton, a Master’s in International project management, and
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Reading time: About 2 minutes When he writes, Dennis Bock tries to keep the two most important qualities of his ideal reader in mind — intelligence and impatience. Dennis Bock is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. Dennis grew up in Oakville, Ontario and completed a degree in English literature and philosophy at the
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Reading time: About 3 minutes If you want to become a better writer, you need to understand that writing practice beats theory every time… When I started learning how to write for newspapers, back in my late teens, I felt as though I was hitting my head against a wall. A brick one. Repeatedly. I
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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 how hobbies help you become a better writer…. Writers often believe the best way to improve their work is to spend more time writing or editing.
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Viewing time: 4 mins 29 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 #189, which addresses how to finish your writing. The post first ran on June 4/21. Transcript: How
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