The relationship between creativity and talent is a rocky one. For years I’ve heard variations of, “Do I need talent to be a good writer?” with “writer” easily substituted by other creative professions like painter, sculptor, and musician. At first, I was the one asking the question, an insecure teen wondering if I’d ever make…
If I were to describe my writing schedule before starting this blog, I’d pick the word “sporadic”. The writing folder on my computer, sorted by year, alternates between years with forty-plus documents and years that are completely barren. An entire bottom shelf of a bookcase is dedicated to notebooks I won’t throw out due to…
Everyone has a story they want to tell. For most, it’ll percolate in the back of their minds for most of their lives, drip-drip-dripping on long flights, empty commutes, and while doing the dishes. It rarely moves past the idle daydream stage, its existence reserved for downtime conversations of, “When I retire, maybe I’ll write…
Humans love to engage in challenges. When we’re small, we race down the block or count to ten to see who’s the fastest. As we get older we join sports, form clubs, and enter contests to compete, learn, and grow. Social media has expanded these opportunities, connecting people from all over the world to join…
If you’ve been following the Writing Rules series, you might have clicked on this blog post with some skepticism. Every “rule” so far has been a phrase, something catchy to teach new writers a simple trick to improve their prose. This rule is a little different; instead of one writing “rule” to pick apart, there…
Every book is a journey, from the copyright pages to the acknowledgments. It could be a literal journey, a fictional hero traveling great distances to accomplish their goal like Frodo or Odysseus. Others are more cerebral, characters going on an internal journey of self-reflection and discovery. Nonfiction can take us on real, historical journeys or…
Every art piece starts with an idea. There’s usually a gathering of materials, some excited muttering, and a vague plan for execution formed. Then the artist will sit down in front of their blank canvas, fingers buzzing with potential, maybe even inspiration. Getting started on something new is the most fun a creative can have.…
Tea Reads 