Yesterday, I went to a yoga class and the owner of the studio asked if I had any resolutions for 2015. I was stumped. I don’t really do resolutions. I kind of just tackle new goals as they come up. Maybe this relates to me having a hard time seeing the big picture, the proverbial forest — Read More
Category: Writing Tips
Some of the greats on writing
I know, it seems like I do a version of this post every other week, but I’m like a fly to shit with these types of things. I just love to hear how the greats write. It’s inspiring. This latest collection of wisdom was gathered by the New York Public Library. Zadie Smith on writing — Read More
David Mitchell on how to write: “Neglect everything else”
I like David Mitchell. He’s one of the greatest novelists alive right now. He’s best known for Cloud Atlas, but I really loved Number9Dream. So, when I saw he had a little chat with The Atlantic , I had to read it. You can read the whole thing here. Here’s some of what he had — Read More
Henry Miller’s 11 commandments
Last week, I posted Stephen King’s 22 writing tips. I went on a tip-finding spree of sorts and found these 11 commandments from Henry Miller (Source: Brain Pickings). He jotted these down during his 1932-33 year-of-writing. Oh, the wonders a good list can do for motivation. 1. Work on one thing at a time until — Read More
22 tips from Stephen King
As one of the most successful and prolific writers that’s ever lived, I’d say Stephen King is a pretty good source for tips. Source: Business Insider (My thoughts in italics) 1. Stop watching television. Instead, read as much as possible. If you’re just starting out as a writer, your television should be the first thing — Read More
Daily routines of famous writers
I haven’t written a word of fiction in a few weeks now. It’s a much-needed break. I’m getting married this weekend and then going on my honeymoon. I’ll revisit my book after the honeymoon, then get ready to send it out into the world. The other day, though, an idea popped into my head for — Read More
Bird by bird by bird by bird…
Somehow, despite being busy, I finished editing my book–for now (will there ever be a day when I don’t caveat this with “for now”?). If you asked me how this happened, I would say, “Slowly. One day at a time, AA style.” Or, as Anne Lamott would say, “bird by bird.” I re-read Anne Lamott’s — Read More
Why it’s good to write when you’re busy: Part II
I wrote Part I (not knowing it would have a Part II) in February of 2013. Meaning, I’ve been f-ing busy for over a year. A crazy work schedule, family stuff, weekend trips, wedding planning, honeymoon planning, and a couple half marathons (with the requisite weeks of training) has made it difficult to find any — Read More
Rules (and resolutions) for writing
Have you seen Elmore Leonard’s 10 rules of writing? It’s a good, practical list. I highly recommend checking it out. Some gems: Never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue Never use an adverb to modify the verb ‘said’ Keep exclamation marks under control Avoid detailed descriptions of characters Don’t go into great — Read More
On opening sentences
Most of the books and stories I’ve written have been inspired by a single line. I’ll get that first line in my head and roll it around for a few weeks or months, then I start writing. More often than not, the first line changes from what it was initially, but the original line is — Read More