Monthly Archives: May 2026

In terms of narrative … there’s nothing but the Bible for sheer storytelling. How do you get at something that has already been done so perfectly? I suppose that explains my ‘fixation’…”   Herman Wouk Some time ago, a New York … Continue reading →

« Don’t tell readers what to feel. Show them the situation, and that feeling will awaken in them. Writing is not psychology. We do not talk ‘about’ feelings. Instead, the writer feels and through her words awakens those feelings in the … Continue reading →

Let’s launch this Memorial Day weekend early with a moving meditation about heroism: American Heroby Mary West Jorgensen “Our history is studded with heroic names. These names compose a world roster from which almost every nation may choose one and … Continue reading →

« The smallest flower is a thought, a life answering to some feature of the Great Whole… » Honore de Balzac Born today, May 20, back in 1799, Honore de Balzac is still read and relished for his keen character studies and observations … Continue reading →

« You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an inner exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world. » Sheila Graham  « Reach high, for stars lie … Continue reading →

“Writing is visual — it catches the eye before it has a chance to catch the brain.” William Zinsser, On Writing Well On Writing Well a classic writing guide. While it focuses on nonfiction, it also offers wisdom aplenty for those … Continue reading →

Today, like every other day, we wake up empty and frightened.Don’t open the door to the study and begin reading.Take down a musical instrument.Let the beauty we love be what we do.There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss … Continue reading →

Commitment. Confidence. Consistency. In a Success Hotline message (973.743.4690), my friend and mentor Rob Gilbert identified these three C’s as the building blocks of a successful endeavor. Let’s explore their meaning to us as writers: Commitment: In my mind, a commitment … Continue reading →

Whether we’re crafting a short story, novel or play, one of the most powerful — and trickiest tools — in our kit bag is dialogue. Dynamic dialogue makes a story sizzle and gives it forward momentum; lackluster dialogue limps along. … Continue reading →

“Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind.” Daphne Du Maurer Today, May 13, is Daphne Du Maurier’s birthday—she was born in 1907. Perhaps best known for her amazing novel, Rebecca, … Continue reading →