Time and again I hear people say, “I’m just not a creative person.” Nonsense. You’re more creative than you think. You just need to break through some of the common barriers we put in our own way. Here are seven tips to help you boost your creativity. 1. Overcome Your Doubts Lin-Manuel Miranda is known … Read more
If you’ve been waiting with bated (or baited) breath for my next post on confusing word pairs, today is your day! It was almost three years ago that I first set out to make the world a better place by ending once and for all the misuse of “jibe” and “jive” and “hone” and “home,” among others. … Read more
My book, 11 Deadly Presentation Sins, is officially one-year-old this Saturday. Like any toddler, it’s caused me more than a few sleepless nights. And, like parenthood, no matter how much you prepare, the process is still full of surprises. Even when you’ve done it before. But this book was different, since I decided to publish … Read more
Oh, the storied “writer’s process.” Writers, like actors, often bring elaborate ritual and routine to their craft. We may favor a certain time of day or a specific location or require accompaniments like coffee or tea or music or silence. Everything has to be “just so” in order for the creativity to flow. But in the … Read more
E-mail is a sinkhole where knowledge goes to die. People have been predicting the death of (and perhaps by) email for years, and the debate on the issue continues. I find email indispensable—at least in my professional life—and I was fascinated by this story on the clash between college students and professors. It’s rich with killer … Read more
I must be a bad writer, because very often my first drafts are pretty good. And pretty close to what the final product ultimately looks like. Maybe my standards are low. Maybe I’m not the writer I think I am. Maybe I’m not a very good editor. Hemingway famously said, “The first draft of anything … Read more
Sometimes the best way to improve your writing is to stop editing and tackle it from a completely different perspective. The Limits of Editing and Revising When I wrote my first book, I figured that after almost a year of revising and editing, I pretty much had it nailed. Then I went on to write … Read more
I don’t always post about grammar and usage. But when I do … it’s fascinating. This is one of my latest peeves. And it’s more than just a nitpick. When people spell the past tense of the verb lead as lead it really trips up my reading. And while we’re at it, the past tense … Read more
I haven’t seen much of Joss Whedon’s work, but there’s no question he’s a prolific writer and creator, so I loved these tips of his on the writing process. Make Writing Fun For me, the big theme here is the idea of making the work of writing fun. For instance, he rewards himself — not just … Read more
If you should ever fall out of love with writing, read a little F. Scott Fitzgerald. That will surely rekindle the flames. I’ve been reading The Great Gatsby in preparation for this week’s film premiere. There’s nothing like re-reading a book you loved in high school or college — a decade or two of real-world … Read more