Not writing is good for your writing. I mean it. This weekend I dropped my normal writing routine and got out of town for a two night escape with a bunch of friends. We stayed in a cabin surrounded by snow, mountains, and sweet-smelling, air. A drastic change in routine can work like pure magic. It reminds my body that it exists to live fully, not simply to fulfill…
Book Launch. Def. a very personal and monumental event in which a writer gets something of his/her own published and then invites everyone he/she knows to commemorate the occasion. I attended the book launch for the novel Blood, by Jack Remick last week. Jack is among the horde of writers who gather together at a cafe in Seattle to write and share their creations, fresh off the page. He invited me…
Give a song lyric and a one sentence pitch for what your story is about. This was the prompt that lead me to enter the writing contest hosted by Larry Brooks at www.Storyfix.com The idea inspired me. Writing contests are great practice for presenting yourself, but it's even better when they stir something inside you. A week later I was in for a delightful surprise. I sifted through the words…
You have reached the level of competency where you need another pair of eyes to look at your writing and honestly tell you what works and what doesn't. You need a critique group. Critique groups for writers are one of the best things you can use to improve your own writing. A good critique group should: 1. Be a safe place for all levels of writers. 2. Give constructive feedback. 3.…
"We are all the same." This is the core principle of Brian McDonald's second book, The Golden Theme, and a fascinating exploration into why certain stories resonate with us as human beings. This book reads differently than his first book Invisible Ink, which at first surprised me. Invisible Ink feels much like a teaching handbook with insightful exercises and examples. The Golden Theme spoke on a literary level…
Universal wisdom should apply universally, thus good advice should (most of the time) apply to good writing. I stumbled upon this idea in a previous post as I considered the importance of keeping my word when I say I will do something. Not only does the phrase "keeping my word" include "word" in its phrase and thus hint toward the occupation of weaving and crafting words, but it underlines…
I just finished Suzanne Collin's first book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. It was a compelling, fast-paced read in an intriguing world with chilling rules and political complications that captivate the reader. I found our main character, sixteen-year-old Katniss, to be a strong-willed, tough and likeable character. She is not without her weaknesses. Soon after the story opens, her love for her little sister, Prim, forces…
Be impeccable in your word. This is the first of The Four Agreements. In the context of the book's philosphy this is a determined truthfulness and also a dedicated integrity. If you say you will do something, it is tantamount that you do this. Otherwise, your word becomes useless. More on the Four Agreements coming for future posts. For now, it is enough to bring these up and remind myself…
A friend of mine recently noticed that a painting in my dining room was an original with my name in the corner. He told me that he wanted to know more about the part of me that studied and loved painting, not just the isolated section of me that identifies with stories and being a wordsmith. Another friend asked me, how does my love for painting,…
I recently encountered a technique for fleshing out a scene that has blown my mind with its insightful attention to detail. Whether writing the scene for the first time or rewriting it because it needs more substance or just plain rewriting the scene because something isn't working, this technique can be used for any of these purposes. I have a tendency to sink heavily into one or two of the six…