Two things I've learned over the years that I feel have made me a better writer are to write every day and to read every day. It's like a constant training program. Writers can't be complacent. We're like athletes, just a little less sweaty and with fewer steroids. Kidding aside, it's not like a writer… Continue reading Reading and Writing
Category: Creativity
Ripple Effect
I don't think anyone can argue that the world is a crazy place at the moment. Well, crazier than usual. Political partisanship, terrorism, social media manipulation, threats of war, economic instability, climate change...it's a lot to process on a daily basis. And it doesn't seem to be getting any better. So for us in the… Continue reading Ripple Effect
Overwhelmed by Ideas
I know, this seems like one of those "nice problem to have" situations. It's funny to think that, years ago, I used to struggle to come up with ideas for my fiction. I was under the mistaken impression that I had to wait for inspiration to come, for my muse to knock on the door… Continue reading Overwhelmed by Ideas
Separating the Art from the Artist
No one is perfect. Not your parents, your siblings, your teachers, preachers, or idols. Everyone is flawed, although some more than others. Over the past few years, with the advent of the #MeToo movement and other revelations, many people have fallen out of favor with the public. There's Kevin Spacey, Bill Cosby, Louie CK, and… Continue reading Separating the Art from the Artist
Editing on the Fly
When I write, I like to get the idea on the page as quickly as possible. It's never pretty. Most of my first drafts end up looking like word salad...bits and pieces of narrative and dialogue and random thoughts and ideas strewn across the page as if the OED got sick to its stomach. But… Continue reading Editing on the Fly
Plans for the New Year
I'm not a fan of new year resolutions. In my opinion, why wait for a calendar event to do something positive in your life? It's like saying, "I'll start that new project on Monday" or "I'll stop drinking on Friday." Why not do it right now? Why wait? With that said, I'm not against setting… Continue reading Plans for the New Year
Mining for Ideas
I had a writer recently tell me they had a difficult time coming up with ideas for stories. They complained that they'd sit down at their PC and stare at the blank page on the screen and struggle to think of something interesting to write about. Keep in mind, they're a fine writer and I've… Continue reading Mining for Ideas
Hidden Treasure
If you're anything like me, you probably have hundreds of story fragments laying around. I have scraps of paper, spiral notebooks, and legal pads stored on bookshelves and milk crates in my home office. I also have far too many sub-folders on my MacBook that contain bits and pieces of ideas, half-finished dialogue, and partial… Continue reading Hidden Treasure
Monkey Mind
I recently heard the term "Monkey Mind" while watching a video on mindful meditation. It was a cute animation that described how we can become overwhelmed by all the things in our lives and how all this makes it difficult to concentrate. I felt a connection to the little animated monkey in the video. The… Continue reading Monkey Mind
Supporting Other Artists
I find it strange when I encounter creative people who see art as a competition. They are the ones who put down other artists, either to their faces to behind their backs, and they love to point out what they perceive as flaws in the work others produce. It's not constructive criticism they're offering. No,… Continue reading Supporting Other Artists