Reading time: About 3 minutes Some writers feel as though they’re working in a black hole. Ask them the question, ‘Are you getting enough writing feedback?’ and they’ll answer with a resounding no… Back in my freelancing days, I used to write the occasional piece for national magazines. I didn’t […]
Are you getting enough writing feedback? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 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 written by Scott Young… I’m obsessed with helping others build the writing habit.
Scott Young on how to build habits Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes Do you ever encounter forms that are tough to read? It’s not your fault! The fault usually lies with the organization that developed the form… Is there anything more onerous than filling out government or bank documents? (I think not.) A neighbour reminded me
How to make forms easier to read 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 from Logan Hill. I started watching the TV show Mad Men rather late — at least a year after the series had begun in 2007. Impressed by the
The figurative language of Logan Hill… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 6 minutes Even if you don’t know exactly how many words you can produce in an hour, here’s how to write faster… Ask a bunch of journalists or professional writers how many words they can produce in an hour and you’ll get a dog-pile of half-answers and
The ultimate 7-step guide for how to write faster Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Does your workplace take the time to discuss what you’re doing and how to do it better? Don’t ever underestimate the value of training. I held a one-on-one coaching session today with a PR writer from a large US-based corporation. Her employer had hired
The value of training 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 simile from Jean Dominique Bauby… The 1998 memoir The Diving Bell and the Butterfly won me over when I read it earlier this year. The book allows a French
The figurative language of Jean Dominique Bauby… 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: predella. I was recently in New York City where I satisfied a 25-year ambition: I finally managed to travel to Cloisters, a satellite
What is a predella? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Is writing burdensome to you? Consider whether you might be taking on more responsibility than you need to… My son, who is studying to become an opera singer, must display a panoply of skills: Singing without a microphone. Learning a smattering of six different languages.
What a circus act can teach you about writing… 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 a recent Brain Pickings article about writer Ann Patchett… I’ve been a fan of Ann Patchett ever
I pluck the butterfly from the air… Read More »
