Reading time: Less than 2 minutes It shouldn’t surprise anyone that there are many problems at UBC. It’s a large school with more than 59,000 students. But how does the university handle these problems? Aye, there’s the rub… What exactly is going on at my alma mater, and the place my […]
UBC faces a litany of problems, poorly 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 a series of similes and metaphors from Gillian Flynn… I don’t typically read mysteries or thrillers (call my habit a character flaw if you like) but I
The figurative language of Gillian Flynn…. 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: to harry. The novel All The Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr, is one of the finest books I’ve read in years. Set during the time of
What does “to harry” mean? Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Whenever I read, I copy my favourite lines and passages into my gigantic collection of quotes about writing. Here are some that have spoken to me at various phases of my writing life. 1) Reading and writing, like everything else, improve with practice. ~Margaret Atwood I particularly
Do you agree with these quotes about writing? 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 an article and video about Kurt Vonnegut… I have a confession to make: I’ve never read
You will be writing about your own life anyway… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Friendship is a gift but sometimes there’s a downside to Facebook friends… The recent terrorist attacks in Paris have raised a secondary issue relating to social media. Who are our “friends” and what do we expect of them? I’m not talking about countries here. Nor
The downside to Facebook friends… 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 a metaphor relating to a new book about the writer Joan Didion… I’m a huge fan of the writer Joan Didion. Two of her books — The
The figurative language of Joan Didion… 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: carapace… When brand new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked why he made some 50% of his cabinet female, he quickly commented,
What’s the origin of the word carapace? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 4 minutes Some people think meditation should be reserved for monks and hippies. I disagree. Many business people are starting to meditate and I’m a big believer in meditation for writers. Many years ago, when my kids were young, I took a course in meditation. Each
Why and how to meditate — even if you think it’s crazy 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 a video on the perils of objectivity prepared by a group called The Lab, in conjunction
The perils of believing in objectivity… Read More »
