Believe it or not, the single most important tip for writing with power and authority is also the most overlooked one. We’re being bludgeoned with
If you are like most social media users, you scroll through your feed for over two hours a day. And as thousands of lifeless lumps
Full of hope, you download another writing checklist. You print it out, put it beside your keyboard, and decide to never hit “Publish” again without
Imagine reading this on Facebook: “Hi, Friends! I wrote a book! Click here to order.” There’s no info—except that the world gained another spined reem
Many writers think editors correct spelling and grammar. The fact is: we do a lot more. In this blog post, I’ll break down the main
Think of a book you couldn’t put down. What was it about this book that locked you in? It could be that the characters were
A while ago, I read a brilliant nonfiction book called Neurotribes by Steve Silberman. And it was epic! Every page fascinated, engrossed, and challenged me.
Most writers know they need an editor. But how can you be sure an editor won’t do more harm than good? Authors on social media
Didn’t you hate those “in your own words” questions in school? Somehow, those were impossible to answer without a fair deal of grinding beforehand. And
What would your mornings look like in a perfect world? For me, the answer is simple: they would include reading, movement, and prayer. And although
The more we care about a topic, the harder it is to write about. We want to do our very best when putting deeply held
All good narratives are idea driven—whether you’re writing a book, web copy, or essays. Each paragraph or section supports an idea, and if you want readers
Sometimes your reader escapes. Even if your lead is superb and you’ve hooked your readers from the start, they might still get away before reaching
Few leads have as profound an impact on me as the first pages of War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells (1866–1946). Read the
I did what I had refused for weeks. This morning, I hit delete on some of the best sentences of my writing career. Ouch. That
There are many kinds of books on the market—about as many as there are kinds of readers. Some readers want to cut to the chase
Let’s start with a quote from the great Sol Stein: This characterization makes me laugh even after 100 readings. Use Creative Characterization in Your Nonfiction
I am reading every day, every chance I get. Books are everywhere in my life—beside my bed, in the bathroom, flanking my armchair, in my
It was Tuesday, February 6, 1996. My mother drove slowly down the slithery street. Brown, muddy snow had collected on the sides of the road,
Let’s start with a quote from the great William Zinsser: Writers must therefore constantly ask: what am I trying to say? Surprisingly often they don’t
Prepare to be blown away—and burned beyond recognition—with the ashtonishingest long sentence ever. (Yes, I made that long word up.) Let me start with a
I’m ashamed of myself. 🥺 While reworking my web copy, I found a sentence with—dare I say it?—a squinting modifier. What is a squinting modifier?
You can find your writer’s voice using tools you have since birth: Your senses! Train your mind to pay attention to what you see, hear,
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