It’s a dirty little secret in the writing world, but if you’re tackling the sort of writing that truly matters to you, there are days (or weeks, or months) when you’d rather peel off your own fingernails than return to the page. I used to be tremendously bothered by this, and … [Read more...]
Writer’s Log, March 13th: Support Networks
Most writers understand the importance of an external support network. We realize how critical the encouragement of our loved ones and the honest criticism of our trusted readers can be. But despite how much time we spend in our inner worlds, I think many of us fail to truly … [Read more...]
Writer’s Log, March 7th: Modifier Madness
It’s hard to get very far as a writer without running into some mighty strong opinions about modifiers. Many insist adjectives should be avoided at all costs; some see adverbs like the devil’s work. I once had a teacher who challenged everyone in class to remove all but three … [Read more...]
Writer’s Log, February 27th: The Work of Fiction
No matter how long we’ve been writing fiction, the chances are good that we’ve spent most of our writing lives trying to nail down facts. In school we’re praised for clear arguments and solid sources; at work we’re praised for cogent memos and data-rich reports. Even those lucky … [Read more...]
Writer’s Log, February 20th: Writing Practice
I I think one of the reasons why writers are so spectacularly prone to crash and burn is because we’re notoriously terrible about acknowledging what a sustainable writing practice looks like. It also doesn’t help that we’re great at talking about unsustainable writing … [Read more...]
Writer’s Log, February 13th: Fixing the Internet
Shortly after our last presidential election, Walter Isaacson, the author of the definitive Steve Jobs biography wrote, “We have to fix the internet. After 40 years, it has begun to corrode, both itself and us.” His voice has been joined by thousands – if not millions – of … [Read more...]
Writer’s Log, February 6th: Rules for Writers
I have three kids in school right now, and collectively they have nine teachers supervising their writing and multiple peers editing it, which means they’re getting approximately thirty-six messages about how to write well, many of which overlap, several of which conflict each … [Read more...]
Writer’s Log, January 30th: Planting Seeds
Spring arrives early in Northern California. It’s not even February, and already the white rosebush in our backyard has produced a plucky blossom, and the air is thick with the fragrance of mud and scraggly wildflowers. I’m not much of a gardener, but I know a … [Read more...]
Writer’s Log, January 23rd: Getting Better
I’m sitting here listening to my youngest make noises on the trumpet that would make a whale shudder, and it strikes me, as his teacher enthusiastically remarks on how much better he’s getting, that this is a phrase that is seriously underused. We usually reserve “getting better” … [Read more...]
Writer’s Log, January 16th: Perspective
There’s an old Yiddish saying that goes, “To a worm in horseradish, the world is horseradish.” I can’t think of any other nugget of wisdom that more perfectly sums up the experience of living in today’s world, unless it’s one that swaps “radish” for something stronger. The … [Read more...]
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