Nothing is more toxic to the soul than comparison. Glancing at the biographies of established writers, I feel myself infected with that familiar poison: by the time she was my age, Jodi Picoult was already married with children, had published several books, worked as a creative writing instructor at a private academy and English teacher … Continue reading
It’s good to finally take yourself seriously as a writer but—as you find markets for your work—you must not forget the simple joy of making art. In my experience, the best writing is done in a spirit of fun without the expectation of a client or reader. The pieces I hold dearest were written on … Continue reading
William Zinsser, author of perennial classic On Writing Well, once argued the “mere serviceable is a drag.” Despite what stuffy academics and the literati might say, I completely agree: the primary goal of writing is entertainment. “What?” you might scoff in disbelief, “what about the nobler goals of information and persuasion, guidance and enlightenment?” Yes, … Continue reading
According to Barbara Baig, author of How to Be a Writer, writing depends on one thing: observation. As Marcel Proust once said, “The voyage of discovery is not in seeing new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Most of us go about our lives in a sort of stupor, only half aware of the physical … Continue reading
Reading Roy Peter Clark’s brilliantly practical Writing Tools and stumbled upon a writing strategy I adore: Writing Tool #23: “Place gold coins along the path: Reward the reader with high points, especially in the middle.” The question that torments every writer: how do we compel our readers to keep reading? Famed editor of the Wall Street … Continue reading
It’s always hard to get back to the page, especially when our writing routine has been periodically interrupted over a long stretch of time. If writing is a way of reconnecting with oneself, not having anything to say feels like a terrible kind of muteness. Like a traveler eager to book a hotel room, we’re … Continue reading
“Clutter,” argued William Zinsser, “is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon…Our national tendency is to inflate and thereby sound important. The airline pilot who announces that he is presently anticipating experiencing considerable precipitation wouldn’t think of saying it may rain. The … Continue reading
The Blank-Faced Confidante 