Word count: 370 words 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 writers. Today, I focus on a new offering from Constance Hale. If Constance Hale writes it, I […]
Why you should vex, hex, smash and smooch Read More »
Word count: 373 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from the novel Capital, by John Lanchester. I hadn’t heard of
Even his tallness appeared a form of ease… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute I read widely, watch movies and listen to the radio. In today’s post you’ll see an interesting piece of figurative language I’ve encountered recently. It’s by Elizabeth Renzetti. My daily newspaper is the Globe and Mail. In last Saturday’s edition, I read an amusing
The figurative language of Elizabeth Renzetti… Read More »
Word count: 283 words Reading time: Just over 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: machicolated. I can’t remember where I collected the word machicolated. I think it must have come from a
What does machicolated mean? Read More »
Word count: 700 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Do you suffer from writing shame? Even if you’re not aware of it, it may be the secret monster that’s sapping your writing strength…. When I was 10 years old, one summer morning I remember standing at my kitchen door,
How to overcome your writing shame Read More »
Word count: 332 words 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 writers. Today, I discuss the idea of quiet writing. I spend much of my life reading about
Pursuing the mantra of quiet writing Read More »
Word count: 316 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skill is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate, this one from the book Joseph Anton by Salman Rushdie. I received the
There was a small enclosed space at the centre of his being Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute I read widely, watch movies and listen to the radio. In today’s post you’ll see an interesting piece of figurative language from Joni Mitchell I’ve encountered recently. I still haven’t read any of Zadie Smith’s popular books, such as White Teeth, On Beauty or
The figurative language of Joni Mitchell… Read More »
Word count: 243 words 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: caparisoned. I was enjoying a coffee with a friend recently and she mentioned the book The Blue Castle by
What does caparisoned mean? Read More »
Word count: 716 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Do you make new year’s resolutions every year? Do any of them relate to writing? Here’s my advice for turbo-charging your resolutions. I’ve never smoked. Even as a sullen, rule-breaking, hitchhiking teenager, I never even tried it. I say this
How writing is like quitting smoking Read More »
