Writing, General
Writing, General

Writing, General

Writing That Resonates

Resonate. It’s the word I use most often when talking about writing. But what does it really mean? Take the word home. The dictionary definition is “The place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household.” But that’s not what anyone thinks when they hear the word. They think of their home. What it looks like, what it sounds and smells like, how it feels to be there. They think of the people who occupy it and the often complex emotions they engender. They think about history and family and legacy and…well, you get the...

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What to Do When the Writing Won’t Work

Sometimes the writing just won’t work. The words won’t come, or they’re all wrong when they do. Even if you manage to type something, you delete it seconds later. You’re blocked. We’ve all been there. Don’t panic. It will come back. Meanwhile, I have some ideas to get it back sooner rather than later. Though it’s important to match the techniques with what you’re trying to write and where you are in the process — you’re going to need different techniques when you’re starting a short story than when you’re in the middle of a novel — no matter where...

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Plotters vs. Pantsers

In the eternal debate about what is the best way to write, two terms have come into common usage: plotter and pantser. Plotters are the planners, the outliners, the writers that like everything in place before they write a single word. Pantsers (called so because they “fly by the seat of their pants”) are those who leap into the void, writing their way into and out of situations without a map. Despite the exclusivity of the terms, there are few, if any, writers who are purely one or the other. Most plotters do some improvisation, at least when writing scenes...

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Don’t Get Rid of All the Negative People in Your Life

Let’s talk about critics. There are a lot of affirmations rolling around the internet about how you must get rid of the negative people in your life. And while this can be helpful to your self-esteem, jettisoning everyone who is the slightest bit critical of your decisions is limiting to self-growth. I am speaking mostly, of course, about writing. My best friends are extremely critical of my work. Hell, I give them my manuscripts with the express intent of them being critical of it. It’s how I improve it. The more I engage with this process, the better my work...

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