Archive for December, 2007
2007: the writing year that was
I know, 2007 isn’t quite over yet. But aside from some planning and outlining, my writing for the year has been done. It’s a good time to look back at 2007.
Overall, it was a good year. I was able to accomplish most of my goals, had a few pleasant surprises, and fell short on a [...]
A must have book for any writer
No matter how hard we try, cliches drift into our writing. Sometimes it’s conscious, usually it’s not. And sometimes it can be difficult to pick out those cliches.
That’s where the Facts of File Dictionary of Cliches comes in really handy. The books contains thousands of cliches, and explains their meanings and their origins. It’s definitely [...]
A few thoughts about personal journalism
One of the most difficult and challenging forms for the non-fiction writer has to be the personal essay. Personal journalism lays the writer open to the world, and for many writers (myself included) exposing themselves like that is difficult and daunting.
Lack of updates: an update
Yes, I know. I haven’t updated this blog regularly in the last few weeks. That’s mainly because I’ve been too busy writing to blog about writing.
Of course, over the next few days new posts will be sparse — even though I don’t really celebrate Christmas, I do take the opportunity to take a few days [...]
Improving your vocabulary while helping someone
What writer worthy of the title doesn’t want to do the former? And the latter isn’t a bad goal for anyone, writer or not, to aspire to. Well, you can do both at FreeRice.com.
When you hit the site, you’re presented with a word and four definitions. Choose the right definition, and you donate 20 grains [...]
Interviewing tips
Interviewing is an essential skill for any writer. Whether you’re a reporter, a technical writer, a freelance journalist, or a marcom writer you need to know how to ask questions. I was very fortunate to be taught interviewing skills in journalism school by Paul McLaughlin — who is widely considered to be one of the [...]
Using Google Docs to teach how to revise
I make no secret that I love using Google Docs (the online word processor from Google). It’s easy to use, and lets me work on articles and other documents no matter where I am or what operating system I’m using.
The folks at Google have partnered with with Writing for Teens magazine to create a tutorial [...]
Writing tips for non-writers … and writers, too
John Sclazi has posted a great set of tips, under the title “Writing Tips for Non-Writers Who Don’t Want to Work at Writing.” They’re nine points that anyone, even people who fancy themselves as writers, can use to improve the quality of their work. Even if you’re an experienced writer, you should check Scalzi’s tips [...]