Reading time: Less than 3 minutes When I say there’s value in writers collaborating I DON’T mean “writing together” as Google suggests. I’m referring to a more generic type of collaborating — more like helping and supporting each other. My kids inducted me into the Nerdfighters club, curated and executed by best-selling author John Green and his […]
The surprise value in collaborating as writers 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 on messy desks written by David Burkus… I’ve long advocated that writers clear their desks before writing. I hold this feeling
The benefits (?!) of messy desks Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute The next time you face a big communications challenge, see if you can use the benefits of humor… The Abbotsford Police Department is conducting a campaign for better road safety. Their secret weapon? Being funny. For example, there’s the ticketed driver who told an officer, “My dad could buy you!” The cop replied, “Get him to
Driving home the benefits of humor… Read More »
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: empirical. Of course I know the meaning of the word empirical. One of the foundations of science, empirical evidence refers to knowledge that is acquired through observation or experimentation.
What does empirical mean? Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Today’s message may seem a little strange but you can learn how to write faster by going on holiday or at least by pretending that you’re going to… We went on the worst holidays ever when I was a kid. We had no money so we always had to camp.
How pretending you’re going on holiday can help you write faster Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute Do you ever ask yourself, ‘how flexible should I be with my writing?’ If you do, here’s my answer… I’ve just finished writing a story that had to be signed off by a host of people from the provincial government. Of course such stories can never be signed off by just
Why writers need to be flexible Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a clever bit of personification from Anthony Lane. Is it possible to personify a person? I think it is, is if person is dead. And if the writer is Anthony Lane, the British
The figurative language of Anthony Lane… Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Looking for summer book suggestions? I’m on track for reaching my year-end goal of reading 52 books and here is my semi-annual accounting that may give you some reading ideas of your own. My habit is to post for you the names of ALL the books I’ve read, twice a
Recommended books: Summer 2014 Read More »
Reading time: About 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 written by New York Times science writer Carl Zimmer. What parts of our brains are working when we write? That question has fascinated me
What part of your brain does the writing? Read More »
Reading time: About 2 minutes If you’ve never heard of the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis, you’re not alone. It’s a relatively rare disorder but that doesn’t make it unimportant… I took part in the Scotiabank half marathon last weekend. Let me stress: I am not a marathoner or even a half-marathoner. I was participating in the
