What to Do When a Deadline Looms and You Are at a Loss What to Write About
Get going on the road to writing (Empty road in Nevada, August 2011) Last Thursday, I was at a loss what to write for Friday's blog post. Uninspired, I thought, [...]
28
Jun, 2019
21
Jun, 2019
Why Hemingway Repeated Words, Why We Learn from Teachers We Don’t Like, and Other Insights on the Craft of Writing
My writing studio in the attic of the Hemingway Birthplace Home, back when I was writer-in-residence. While I didn't particularly enjoy Roger Rosenblatt's Unless It Moves the Human Heart - [...]
28
Dec, 2018
How to Evaluate Your Social Media Use and Free Up Time
I just lived without my main email for almost two weeks, and that turned out to be quite nice. Just before I left on a longer trip, I messed up [...]
21
Dec, 2018
Writer’s Workbook 2019
The new edition of the Writer's Workbook is here! All you gotta do to receive it is subscribe to my newsletter. If you are a subscriber, you will have received [...]
28
Dec, 2017
The Artist & Writer’s Workbook 2018
The Artist & Writer's Workbook 2018 is here! Available as a free download if you sign up for my newsletter! (All my subscribers have already received it.) This year's title [...]
28
Dec, 2016
Artist & Writer’s Workbook 2017
It's the time of year again to look back and plan ahead, so I am happy to present you with the Artist & Writer's Workbook 2017. It's free; [...]
6
Mar, 2015
Collecting Words and Phrases
When I read, I underline words and phrases I like. Thanks to Liz Lamoreux's Inner Excavation and her idea of creating a word toolbox to "reveal the poet within," I've been [...]
11
Aug, 2014
Mining your Dreams for Writing (2)
"Thanks to my dreams [and NaNoWriMo], November is one of my favorite and most amusing times," says novelist Shirley Letcher. Following up on last Monday's post, here's installment two of [...]
4
Aug, 2014
Mining your Dreams for Writing (1)
I am happy to welcome my writing friend Shirley Letcher as my guest blogger today. Shirley has been a teacher of music, theater and arts for over forty years, from [...]
29
Jan, 2014
Retyping and Plotting
Right now, this is the wall by my desk in my studio at the VCCA. I am still cutting paper into bits and pieces to work with text (see also my [...]
22
Jan, 2013
The Paramedic Method
I'm still struggling with trimming an essay to meet word count (this essay's parking lot is full!), and so I decided to employ the Paramedic Method that I teach in my [...]
14
Jan, 2013
The Beauty of the Parking Lot
Luc-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, June 2009 Ok, so this parking lot is beautiful because it is a) on the Normandy Coast of France, and b) features a sunset. I chose this [...]
19
Sep, 2012
Why Chapter Headings Are Useful
My Advanced Memoir Workshop was fortunate to host Wenguang Huang, author of The Little Red Guard, for an immensely informative Q&A session back in July. (Lucky for us, he lives in [...]
26
Jan, 2012
Reading Out Loud
I've been a bit quiet on my blog here because I've been loud otherwise: I've been using every free minute I have alone to myself to read my book manuscript [...]
8
Jan, 2012
Dr. Seuss’s Creative Process
The Christmas Around the World exhibit also wrapped up today. Fittingly, the Great Hall with the big Christmas Tree was decorated with Grinch posters. Today was the last day of [...]
21
Dec, 2011
Guest Blog By Kelly Hashway: Digital Voice Recorders: A Writer’s Best Friend
Following up on my blog post "When Inspiration Strikes," I am happy to welcome fellow blogger Kelly Hashway today, who will share her nifty trick for capturing ideas. Kelly and [...]
15
Dec, 2011
When Inspiration Strikes
Why do great ideas always strike at the most inopportune moments? Like when I'm brushing my teeth, or taking a bath? Or, like the other evening, while I'm chopping fruits for [...]
17
Nov, 2011
Tarot Cards for Brainstorming
Vain Regret: Of the cards Shirley shared, this is my favorite: Crying over what's been spilled, rather than seeing what's still full. Who hasn't done that? Have you ever considered [...]
16
May, 2011
Guest Blog By Jessica Handler: Writing Exercise: Venn Diagrams and Finding Yourself in a Character
Welcome to my good friend Jessica Handler, author of the memoir Invisible Sisters, who is my guest blogger today, as part of the Blogathon’s guest blog challenge. Since I tend [...]
