Reading time: Less than 3 minutes I like smartphones as much as the next person. But I also know there’s a good time to turn off your smartphone…. When my brother-in-law comes to our house for dinner he knows I’ll require him to step away from the table if he wants to check his smartphone. […]
What if you turned off your smartphone today? Read More »
You may dismiss the Rolling Stones as old-time rock ‘n rollers, druggies or a group of has-beens, but it turns out that Keith Richards’ writing advice is surprisingly wise…. I’m old enough to have been a seven-year-old when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. (“Those boys have hair like girls,” chided an elderly
Five writing lessons from Keith Richards… Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Do you know how to write a complaint letter? The rules are straightforward but surprisingly challenging to apply… My 20-year-old son, who’s studying to become an opera singer, recently gave me a complaint he’d written about one of his professors. He wanted to know if it was “too harsh.” More
How to write a complaint that gets results Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes Looking for some recommended books in time for summer reading? Here’s my semi-annual roundup of books I’ve read this year. I aim to read 52 books every 12 months and my habit is to post a complete list of the names of them for you, in June and December. Here is a
Recommended books: Summer 2017 Read More »
Reading time: Just over 5 minutes Are you writing slowly because you’re editing WHILE you write? Today, I give some practical advice on how to break this terribly destructive habit….. When I started writing back in high school, I developed the practice of producing a sentence and then going back to edit it, immediately. The game usually
7 ways to stop editing while you write Read More »
Reading time: Just over 2 minutes If the recent passage of Jan. 1 has you feeling bad for not having made some writing-related new year’s resolutions, remember this: plans for writers are a far better idea… I no longer believe in new year’s resolutions. This discovery came over me in 2013 and, ever since, I’ve
Your guide to a better kind of New Year’s resolution Read More »
Reading time: Just over 3 minutes Are you one of the non-native English speakers who’s afraid of writing. Don’t be scared. And don’t think that focusing on grammar is the answer. Here’s what you should do instead… I’m a debate coach at my local high school and a great many of my students speak English as a
7 ways non-native English speakers can improve their writing Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes Looking for some recommended books in time Christmas gift-giving? Here’s my semi-annual roundup — this time of books I’ve read since June. I aim to read 52 books every 12 months and my habit is to post the names of them for you, twice a year. This past June, I told
Recommended books: Winter 2016 Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Has the handwritten thank you letter died a quiet death? If you were hoping the answer is yes, you’re wrong. The value of thank you notes is still significant to people who can help you… My mother seldom favoured arbitrary rules. I never had a curfew. She didn’t blink
The value of thank you notes Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Writing something stupid makes sense when the alternative is simply staring at a blank computer screen… When I was a teenager, I used to babysit a girl I’ll call Michelle. She lived directly across the street from me and she was famous in our neighbourhood for always asking “Why?”
Why it’s better to write than to BE right Read More »
