Tag: Writer

January 18, 2016

Happy Birthday, Peter Mark Roget!

Although it’s said that Philo of Byblos wrote the very first one, and that Amarasimha wrote one in Sanskrit called the Amarakosha, the first English thesaurus as we know it was written by Peter Mark Roget. As a writer, I use a thesaurus almost every day (at least), so I am very, very grateful he decided to do all that work. Can you...

Categories General Thoughts & Updates Comments: 0

January 16, 2016

Keeping “Constructive” in Criticism

Giving feedback or criticism is one thing. Making it constructive is entirely another (and those of you who’ve sat through horrible crits know exactly what I mean). Too many people think that criticism is either tearing someone down or being completely positive (to avoid hurting any feelings). Unfortunately, neither version is particularly good for revisions or mental health. If the crit is negative but not...

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January 1, 2016

The Only New Year’s Resolutions A Writer Really Needs

I can almost make that generalization and believe it because these 3 resolutions are adjustable, which makes them good for writers at all stages. I suppose an individual writer might need another resolution (like “pay the bills”), but these 3 are pretty good.  3. Publish Submit to a magazine, contest, or book publisher. Self-publish an ebook. Write a blog. Do what you need to...

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December 10, 2015

Playwright: A Compound Word for a Compound Job

Fun fact: in older English, a “wright” was a maker or craftsman, which makes a playwright a maker of plays, an artisan. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s pretty cool. And entirely appropriate.

Categories Quotes, Words, & Phrases/Theatre & Film Comment: 1

December 5, 2015

The Only Surefire Way To Become A Better Writer

Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Inspiration/Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comments: 4

November 21, 2015

Why Would I Want to Write in a Circle?

I was a bit shocked to realize that although I’ve been writing this blog for about 5 months, I have yet to talk about writing circles (oops – sorry!). What reminded me was yesterday’s mention of what you’re best/worst at. In essence, that’s what a writing circle is designed to tell you. It’s a peer review, plain and simple: writers meet...

Categories Creative Process/Grammar & Editing Comment: 1

November 20, 2015

Shine, Writers. Shine.

Categories Creative Process/General Thoughts & Updates/Inspiration Comments: 0

November 18, 2015

The Art of the Unexpected

If you want to spend an entertaining and informative afternoon, look up your favorite comic strips and standup comedians. Then, analyze them. You can still watch and laugh, but actually pay attention to how they’re making you laugh. Both mediums have the same goal (to make you laugh), and neither one has a lot of time to do it in....

Categories Creative Process Comments: 2

October 23, 2015

Actor Or Author: We Have Revealing Jobs

Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comment: 1

October 18, 2015

Easy Reading: A Quote To Fight About

Apparently, people argue a lot over who said this. Maya Angelou said it, but she credited Nathaniel Hawthorne. Other famous poets (such as Lord Byron) wrote similar ideas, but who actually said, “Easy reading is damned hard writing”? If you want to read more about the controversy and who said what, I recommend The Quote Investigator Article. After reading this...

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