Reading time: About 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: walleyed. While on holiday recently, I read the memoir Undress Me In the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman. The story of Gilman’s 1986 trip to China […]
What’s the origin of the word “walleyed”? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes 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 an article about a music and writing app called Focus@Will… I usually can’t bear to listen to music
A little music while you write? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Groucho Marx defined politics as “the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.” Many of the leaders in the recent Canadian federal election might be likely to agree… I am not a political consultant and
What happened the day AFTER the federal election? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about some metaphors and similes from Kimberly Cutter. As a child I became obsessed with the Tudor family and with Joan of Arc. I’m not sure to what I should attribute this interest
The figurative language of Kimberly Cutter… 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: cynosure. I’ve been a longtime fan of the writer Julian Barnes. And I think his 2005 novel, Arthur & George, is my favourite.
What does cynosure mean? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 3 minutes I didn’t get to travel when I was young because I had to work at a family business. Nor did I get the chance when I had my own family, because my kids were triplets. I’m making up for lost time now… I’m hoping
Cooking lessons from the heart of Italy Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes The year 2015 marked the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II across Europe, the 80th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s birth and, oh, the 500th edition of this column. Welcome to the 500th issue of this column.
Happy anniversary to me! Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes It doesn’t matter if you’re a freelancer or if you have a boss for whom you write. You need to learn how to win over editors… I’ll never forget the first article I wrote for a national magazine. I’d spent two years pitching the editor
10 ways to appear shockingly smart to any editor Read More »
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 charming video about perfectionism from the School of Life…. I have a strong memory of Lego from
Great advice: work without hope or despair Read More »
Reading time: Just over 1 minute Have you ever made a bad hire? Of course you have. But a bigger question remains: How do you help an employee with writing problems if you don’t want to fire them? Not everyone knows how to write. But if you’ve hired someone to
How do you help an employee with writing problems? Read More »