Reading time: 2.5 minutes If you’re an “awfulizer” who procrastinates until deadlines are near (or passed!) here are five writing tips to help you become eager and optimistic about writing…. Awfulizers are people who expect the worst. They are the Alexanders of this world, constantly experiencing one terrible, horrible, no […]
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Reading time: About 2.5 minutes As soon as I saw the title of the book The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg, pictured here, I wanted to read it. Even if the work had nothing to do with writing (and that’s pretty much the case) I reckoned I could grab
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Word count: 219 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute If you increase your vocabulary you’ll not only help your reading, you’ll also make your writing more precise. Here is my word of the week, perseverate. Do you ever come across a word that you’ve read many times before and suddenly
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Word count: 627 words Reading time: About 2.5 minutes Even if (like me) you were a fan of Steve Jobs, you wouldn’t have wanted him to be your writing coach… I admit it. I’m a Machead. I love my iMac and my iPhone and my iPad. I find them reliable,
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Word count: 192 words Reading time: Less than a minute When it comes to dangerous jobs, writing hardly ranks ups there with logging, fishing and roofing. But appearances to the contrary, it has significant physical drawbacks. Think of hunched over shoulders, aching wrists and the danger of sitting. That’s why
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Word count: 150 words Reading time: half a minute I appreciated many of the fine novels by Ann Patchett, particularly, Bel Canto and deeply disliked only one, Run. I felt lukewarm, however, about her most recent book, State of Wonder. The plot was moderately engaging, and the writing moderately good. But
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Word count: 317 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute My Kindle died last week. Inconveniently, this occurred while I was out of town, on holiday and, thus, in read-like-a-maniac mode. (I usually try to finish a book a day while on holiday although am sometimes slowed down when I attack a
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Word count: 158 words Reading time: about 30 seconds If you increase your vocabulary you’ll not only help your reading, you’ll also make your writing more precise. Here is my word of the week, melisma. My husband, girls and I just returned from a spring break holiday that my son
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Word count: 518 words Reading time: About 2 minutes Even when I don’t go looking for stories, I seem to fall over them. If you’re a writer, be sure to keep an eye out for them, too…. I took myself out for lunch following my blog launch. I wanted a
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Word count: 195 words 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 writers. Today I introduce you to grammar girl Mignon Fogarty. I remember almost meeting Mignon Fogarty at
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