I like to imagine a hidden world that I can enter whenever I am standing in a long line, waiting out a traffic jam, or any situation where I feel trapped. If I close my eyes, unseen layers of experience become apparent: birds chirping, clocks ticking, motors rumbling, or the drone of a distant jet, […]
Writing From The World Beneath Sight Read More »
Every November a fervor sweeps writerdom, an evangelical commitment to write fast and write more. This effort is called NanoWrimo or “National Novel Writing Month.” The objective is to write a novel in a month, or at least the rough draft of one. For many it is a way to end procrastination, cut through resistance,
Why I Said No to NanoWriMo Read More »
For most of my life, especially since college, I have kept journals. Most of my major life events since then have found their way into notebooks. But I will have to omit the most major life event of all: death. This is unfair. I think I should be able to write a journal entry afterward
I have been wondering: What is the true meaning of an apology? In my experience, there is more than one type of apology. There is the kind where I accidentally bump into someone in, say, a grocery store. In that case, I am quick to apologize. What I mean is, “Hey, this was an accident.
The Perils of Apology Read More »
When I first started watching it, I could not turn away. Near the end of every show the contestants sent their clothing designs on models out on a runway for a competition. Afterward the designers were evaluated for their artistic efforts by a panel of judges. The contestants who failed to impress had to defend
Creativity and the Culture of Shame Read More »
Resistance is basic to living. So basic that when you touch something, the electrons in your hand repel the electrons of the touched surface. When you push an object, it pushes back: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This is one reason resistance creates a sense of realism in fiction. Writing
Using the Psychology of Resistance for Vivid Narrative Writing Read More »
On the last day of my college biology class, I turned in my final exam to my professor. He took it and studied me. “Another ‘A’ I’ll bet. You know, you are really good at this,” he said. “Are you interested in pursuing a degree in science? What is your major?” I tensed because I
Writing: A Methodical Way to Dream Read More »
I have become painfully aware that debut novelists must not “overstay their welcome” when it comes to word length. This is a strange idea to me, since a longer story means that I put in extra work. But while querying for an agent, I have found that most publishers will not even consider a novel
Should Word Count Limits Have Limits? Read More »
Many of my blogs have been silly and whimsical, and for that reason, someone recently told me that, if I could be the same person around strangers as I am when I write, I could be “the life of the party.” Maybe long ago I could have been. When I was little, my dad used
Do introverts have the secret ability to be the “life of the party”? Read More »
There are writers who say writing is not therapy; that it may express but it will not change you. For me, that has been entirely untrue. Writing has cut a path through depressions and creative drought, spurred insights, and promoted struggles which led to solving real and pressing problems. Some people meditate for similar reasons,
Can Writing Change You? Read More »
