Monthly Archives: November 2017

Write *Something* Every Day

Writers write. It’s as simple as that. Good writers tend to write a lot. That’s a big part of how they became “good” writers. If you aspire to become a writer, or if you’re already a writer and you want … Continue reading

Posted in editing, Historical writing, Memoir, novel writing, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

A Pre-Turkey Post

There’s something to be said for writing about the history of holidays, and the one that’s nearly upon us is a great example. Just about the time your Halloween pumpkin rots down to a puddle of orange slag, Ta-Da — … Continue reading

Posted in Historical writing, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Thinking and Feeling

What is it that’s so hard about getting into a character’s head? It’s a problem many of my writing friends and students encounter, and it happens all too often, or so it seems to me. I suspect in most cases … Continue reading

Posted in Memoir, novel writing, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Historical tidbits revisited

Q: What, exactly, is a historical tidbit, and if not used as a plot point, what good is it? A: It’s merely a history writer’s gold. If you click on the illustration to the left, you’ll see a larger version. … Continue reading

Posted in Historical writing, novel writing, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments