writing tips
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Talent vs. Skill
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,… Continue reading
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Reflecting on a Year of Writing
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… Continue reading
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Originality; or, Story Telephone
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… Continue reading
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Should You Join NaNoWriMo?
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.… Continue reading
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Writing “Rules”: Grammar
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.… Continue reading
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Planners vs. Explorers
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… Continue reading
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Sketching the First Draft
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… Continue reading
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