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 […]
Playing on the Page
When there is a story problem you can’t solve, or there appears to be no way out for your characters, remember one […]
Setting a Plan with Purpose
Do you often find it hard to stick to your writing plan? How often do “important tasks” distract you and pull you […]
Creativity is Your Birthright
Creativity is your birthright. We live in a culture that is invested in our believing otherwise. I frequently hear folks talk of […]
A Pencil for Christmas
So many of my students and potential students come to me wanting to know how to get published and produced. They want their work to be read, to be seen. But what they really want is for themselves to be seen.
What is Genius?
What is genius? I don’t like it when people use the term genius, primarily because I think they misuse the word. I […]
Everything You Need to Know is Within
“If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.” – Billy Wilder The purpose […]
Writing for Your Ideal Reader
Good storytelling is about having at least a somewhat conscious relationship to your ideal reader. It is about understanding the most effective […]
Writing Despite Fear of Criticism
In 2017, Gustavo Dudamel became the youngest conductor of a major orchestra of his time. I remember an L.A. Times journalist urged […]
The Real Meaning of “Write What You Know”
Write what you know. We’ve heard this so often. But what does it mean? Does it mean that if I am a […]
Is It Any Good?
There can be a real desire, especially for the novice writer, to have someone validate our work as soon as possible. Is […]
Building a Body of Work
I remember one day over twenty years ago when I was bellyaching to a friend of mine about how nobody was buying […]
Your Writing Process is Valid
Every writer has their own way of working, a process that has to be developed and honed over many years. Margaret Atwood […]
Becoming a Professional Writer
The publishing industry has undergone tremendous changes over the years. “Mid-list” writers who relied on decent advances from their publishers have found […]
The Creative Process
When my son, Ray, was first learning to speak, there were so many new words each day — the syntax often fascinating […]
Trust
I grew up in a very bright, academic family, but at times I felt alone. My family members were very logical, reasonable […]
Choice
Why do we write? Why do we spend months, years, even decades engaged in the solitary act of creating a world on […]
Writing Fiction: Letting Go of Our Story
“Danger lies in the writer becoming the victim of his own exaggeration, losing the exact notion of sincerity, and in the end […]
