Archive

  • Big Buzzing Bullies

    There are bullies under the summer sun. They have no sense of mercy, they inflict harm without cause, and they don’t even have the decency to enjoy it. They buzz around like yellow caution signs of doom. They set up shop exactly where it will worst inconvenience you – butting into your backyard and your… Read more

  • Committing to First-Person Narratives

    When you think of writing a book, “commitment” is a word you might associate with time discipline, writing a certain number of words per day, or setting aside a chunk of your budget for publishing and marketing. You wouldn’t necessarily think of the writing itself. After all, writing is all about making changes. That’s what… Read more

  • Writers, You Can’t Be Perfect

    There is no such thing as a perfect story. To strive for perfection is something that writers do. We put all our effort into writing stories that are perfectly plotted, that contain no plot holes or leaps of logic, that are devoid of unnecessary fluff, that are devoid of grammar and spelling mistakes. Perhaps even… Read more

  • Improve Your Writing … By Writing

    If there was a magic trick to becoming a better writer, if there was a special class or a magic book, I’d be recommending that here instead. But, obvious as it may sound, the only way to become a better writer is to, well, write. It’s one of those facts of life that’s so simple… Read more

  • A Word of Wisdom from Terry Pratchett

    Miss Tick sniffed. “You could say this advice is priceless,” she said. “Are you listening?” “Yes,” said Tiffany. “Good. Now … if you trust in yourself …” “Yes?” “… and believe in your dreams …” “Yes?” “… and follow your star …” Miss Tick went on. “Yes?” “… you’ll still get beaten by people who… Read more

  • What Do You Do With Your Time?

    When I was a kid, the thing I wanted to be when I grew up was an “everyologist.” I wanted to do everything: science, literature, travel, architecture, painting, history. A five-year-old can easily imagine doing all those things. After all, he has all the time in the world. When a single year is one-fifth your… Read more