12 Maxims of The 90-Day Novel
Have you thought about your creative goals for this coming year? If you’re planning to write your novel, here are 12 maxims that […]
Exploring Your Protagonist’s Dilemma
(Image from The Hunger Games, 2012) “The moment we want to believe something, we suddenly see all the arguments for it, and […]
Dramatizing Character
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to […]
There are No Ugly Trees
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” – Eleanor […]
Plot versus Theme
Any writer can experience that moment where you suddenly realize that your “idea” of the story isn’t going to get you to […]
Stay Out of the Result
For any writer, here’s a question to ask yourself: “Why do I want to write this?” A student told me recently that […]
The Necessity of an Outline
“The outline is 95% of the book. Then I sit down to write, and that’s the easy part.” – Jefferey Deaver Many […]
On Certainty in Writing
There is a particular comfort that comes from being certain. We can shut out the world, with all of its noise and […]
Humor Is Not About Writing Funny
Humor connects us. It makes us care. I don’t mean one-liners. Humor is not about jokes, but it is about human behavior. […]
Why We Go on Retreat
For years, my students had been asking me when I was going to take them on a retreat. Frankly, I’d been […]
Tell Your Truth
“A book must start somewhere. One brave letter must volunteer to go first, laying itself on the line in an act of faith, […]
Taking Off the Mask
“Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.” – Amelia Earhart In Jerry Stahl’s memoir, Permanent Midnight, he shares […]
