I believe most writers today not only appreciate the importance of consciously separating editing from writing, but can also recite the oft-repeated technique tips and tricks, such as: wait as long as possible before putting on the "editor" hat temporarily change the text to a defamiliarizing font don't rely on spelling/grammar checkers study lists of … Continue reading Editing Your Own Writing: The Most Overlooked Trick (3:10)
Top of the Stack One of the most sacred spaces for any lover of writing is the top shelf of a bookcase. Far from a place of retirement, this is that personal hall of fame you can reliably revisit any day or night. Let me share with you a peak at my favorite shelf. It's … Continue reading Writing Guides For Your Top Shelf
For so many years, I had a simple view of writing any poem or story essentially once. I wrote them as the seeds took root and pruned them into final drafts as able. This is a wonderful model for anyone afflicted with the writing compulsion. Recently, however, I realized a second shaping was necessary for … Continue reading Writing Everything Twice (Wreadcast .6 – 6:35)
Recently, I unearthed some rough drafts along with stacks of old notebook journals. One of them (below) was workshopped several years ago with a wonderful friend and fellow writer. I have been seeking something I can polish into a finished piece of fiction as an example of substantive editing for you as I go along. … Continue reading Editing “Weynid the Savage” Pt. 1
The trend of working some or all of the time from home looks like it's here to stay. When you reach the point where a laptop on the couch just isn't quite cutting it, it's time to carve out a permanent space for productivity. I'm at that very point this autumn. Inspired by Leo Babauta … Continue reading I’m Crafting a Home Office (Wreadcast .5 – 6:41)
After wrestling with autocorrection for the thousandth time, I begin to wonder if maybe there's more to story. Have I overlooked some different approach that could repair this partnership? Maybe it's all just been a case of stunting my eager assistant with all of my knee-jerk negativity and constant counter-correcting? I mean, look: that's definitely … Continue reading Letting Autocorrection Take the Helm
Whether it's haiku, scifaiku, or other minimalist forms, I've been enjoying writing micropoetry for several years now. The small sizes fit nicely into a hectic life. Let's look at some options WordPress affords for presentation. Troubled by the automatic double-spacing when sharing your poetry? You can try using the <pre> tag in your coding. I've … Continue reading Presenting Micropoetry
Yesterday copy editors on Twitter came out in solidarity with their colleagues in the New York Times. The paper is reported to be shifting to be more reporter focussed and is cutting down on the number of copy editors in the team from over 100 to around 50. And expecting the same level of accuracy […] … Continue reading Copy Editors Matter (via Northern Editorial)
I haven't figured out why it happens, but sometimes there are spells in which I forget the power of music to change my state of mind. Maybe I worry reflexively that it will just add noise to already overloaded moments. Or maybe I worry reflexively that music will disconnect me too much from those I … Continue reading Music to Edit By
A Koan For Bloggers Q): How can I master writing and sharing articles online? A): Ask of yourself the impossible: begin as the teacher and learn to think like a beginner. Beginning as the Teacher A talented friend of mine once told me that in order to learn to play the guitar, I should write … Continue reading Beginner’s Mind: All You Need to Know to Master Writing Online
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