Monthly Archives: February 2021

“Writing a great scene is like juggling. You need to ground your scenes first in place and time and build them by creating that particular moment in time…” Linda Joy Myers Scenes are the building blocks of short stories, plays, … Continue reading →

“Why does Resistance yield to our turning pro? Because Resistance is a bully. Resistance has no strength of its own; its power derives entirely from our fear of it. A bully will back down before the runniest twerp who stands … Continue reading →

The Sea Gipsy I am fevered with the sunset, I am fretful with the bay, For the wander-thirst is on me And my soul is in Cathay. There’s a schooner in the offing With her topsails shot with fire, And … Continue reading →

As we honor his birthday today, it’s worth remembering that Abraham Lincoln had his share of setbacks, personal and political — he knew what it felt like to fail and have to fight another day. We’ve all had them — … Continue reading →

A story: Chuck Yeager, the hero of Tom Wolfe’s classic, The Right Stuff, is widely considered to be the best pilot who ever lived. The night before he was scheduled to attempt a world-shattering feat — flying solo in the … Continue reading →

Ah, there it is again: the ever-present, ever-critical inner editor. You know the feeling: You can be writing merrily along on a creative roll, when suddenly, you’re pulled up short. Your inner editor is at it again, tapping on your … Continue reading →

“Patience is the best remedy for every trouble.” Plautus (254-184 B.C.) What a wise fellow Plautus was! He was a playwright in ancient Rome, so he surely knew a thing or two about trouble and how to handle it. His … Continue reading →

“There is no wealth but life.” “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort.” “Fine art is that in which the hand, the head, and the heart of man go together.” John Ruskin Today, February … Continue reading →

130 A slashed Blue — A sweep of Gray — Some scarlet patches on the way. Compose an Evening Sky — A little purple — slipped between — Some Ruby Trousers hurried on — A wave Gold — A bank … Continue reading →

Writing is all about words: falling in love with them, coaxing them, wooing them, worrying over them, playing with them, cutting them, adding them, and even, like Shakespeare, inventing them. Writers are word lovers and when we love them hard … Continue reading →