Archive for the writing craft Tag

How Embracing Pain Can Prevent Jerkitude

I’m special. I know you’re wondering how I know. But I’ve always known, crazy as that sounds. In fact, I suspect most people who haven’t experienced big, deep pain probably agree with this. And anyone who has experienced a massive life event that brought them deep pain, they’ll probably confirm it: Not suffering pain makes you special. Since life inevitably
Read more…

How to Be Sure You Can Write the Highest Quality Books

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.” – T. E. Lawrence The summer heat already bears down
Read more…

Why Writing Means Abiding

Of course, I’d heard the word for years. Discipline. But as a lifelong rebel, I’ve always associated it with restriction and not getting what I wanted. I gave my mom the hardest time trying to train me. It’s a good thing I turned out so awesome so I can prove how hard she worked. Discipline is like editing. Mom was
Read more…

Gay Talese on the Questions that Guide Us

Every time I go to a journalism class, invited by some guy at NYU or Columbia, after the class is over, and I’m about to leave to go to dinner somewhere, somebody comes up to me. “Mr. Talese, can I have your address? I’d like to write to you.” I say, “Listen, I’m here now to talk to you, but I’m
Read more…