Dec 28
One of my favorite things about writing this blog is how much I learn from it. As the year winds down, I thought I’d share several posts that were particularly energizing.
I discovered an interview online that led me to write, Improve your writing craft with this assignment from author Ray Bradbury. I’ve amped up my reading practice due to his advice. Read more
In the midst of our routines, it’s also good to try new things. Aim to write every day, but try writing something that’s unfamiliar. If you only write novels, try poetry. Everything you do contributes to your skills as a writer.
Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.”
Maybe a certain topic or idea is fluttering in the back of your mind, but the thought of writing about it makes you nervous. If you get an anxious tug in your stomach, that’s a good sign that you’re stepping out of your comfort zone. Read more
Whatever your faith or belief system, the holidays are a time to spend time with our loved ones and remind them how much they mean to us.
Over the years, I’ve tried to find ways to simplify my holiday. Instead of buying my neighbors the usual gift basket, I made homemade lasagna. They appreciated having to cook one less meal during a busy, sometimes stressful season. Read more
Despite dire predictions that the world was going to end last week, I’ve been thinking ahead to how I’ll meet my writing goals in 2013. One reason I like to learn how successful writers work is to see if they have any rituals or routines that I can follow myself.
There’s no way around it: A regular writing routine is crucial to producing finished work. So I was intrigued when I read about the Don’t Break The Chain calendar idea attributed to comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
As the story goes, each January, Seinfeld hangs a year-at-a-glance calendar on a prominent wall of his office, and for every day that he writes new material, he gets to mark a big “X” over that date. After a few days, a chain of Xs begins to form. The annual goal is to write every day and not break the chain. Read more
My best ideas and writing breakthroughs rarely come to me when I’m sitting in front of the computer. Unfortunately, those ideas can be fleeting, which is a prime reason to carry a notebook.
Inspiration often strikes when I’m on a walk, driving around in my car, lying in bed — and in the shower.
Fortunately, I’ve discovered another writing tool to add to my kit for writing in wet places. Aqua Notes are waterproof notepads that come with suction pads for sticking in the shower. AquaNotes tablets also include a pencil, and you can even write under water. Read more
Since Friday, I, like many people around the world, have experienced an array of emotions–grief, anguish, anger, and compassion, among others.
I originally began writing because I wanted to tell people’s stories. My mother developed sudden onset dementia and writing was my way to try to understand it. As I saw my mother regress before my eyes, writing about it and talking about it helped me process my grief and my sadness. Read more
I’m one of those people who wants to go through doors that say “authorized personnel only,” whether I’m authorized or not. So when I see a list of books that are “banned,” I want to read them more than ever. Maybe you do too.
In 1998, the Radcliffe Publishing Course compiled and released its own list of the century’s top 100 novels, at the request of the Modern Library editorial board. Below, you’ll find the ones from the list that at some point in time have been challenged or banned from classrooms or library bookshelves.
1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger Read more
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