Tag Archives: improving writing craft

Skill-building Strategy

“When you have the attitude and effort, the skill is not far behind.” Love this quote! I don’t know where it came from — I scrawled it on a bit of paper and put in a place where I see … Continue reading

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Innocent Eyes

“Try to be one of the people on whom nothing is lost.” Henry James, from “The Art of Fiction.” Habit blinds us all: We fall into familiar byways without even noticing that it and begin to look at the world … Continue reading

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Finding Time

“Regular writing on a novel is absolutely essential. The plot and characters may be well established in your mind. But it is a constant battle to ensure that they are not swamped with other, personal preoccupations.” Joan Aiken, The Way … Continue reading

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Perfect Seams

“I remember a very important lesson that my father gave me when I was twelve or thirteen. He said, ‘You know, today I welded a perfect seam and I signed my name to it.” And I said, ‘But Daddy, no … Continue reading

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Skilled Labor

“When you have the attitude and effort, the skill is not far behind.”    Unknown This little gem popped my desk out of the blue. It’s jotted down on a handwritten note of mine. I’m not sure where these words … Continue reading

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“The Magic”

On a quick hop up to Vermont, my son Alex and I each wandered through The Vermont Book Shop, a cozy and inviting indie with plenty of fuel to feed bookaholic fires on cold winter nights. In his browse-around amble, … Continue reading

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Franklin Fascinates

Benjamin Franklin surely ranks as one of the most amazing self-made American success stories and his Autobiography is one of the first how-to guides ever written. Ben was not only self-made, he was also self-taught: He ignited his Yankee ingenuity … Continue reading

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Writers’ Retreat

A wonderful time was had by all when Priscilla, one of my writing group buddies, hosted a long weekend in her lovely family home in Vermont. What a treat! Our merry band of writers artfully combined work and play for … Continue reading

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Next Level

“Writing has always been therapeutic for me. That’s how I started doing this. It was poetry — a journal — to relieve some stress.” “Jersey” Joe Budden Joe is a hip-hop performer. An article about his upcoming album, “No Love … Continue reading

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Writing Ruts

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.” Gail Sheehy It’s easy to get stuck in a writing rut. Now a rut is not the quite same as writer’s block. When you hit a … Continue reading

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