I am not very kind to myself or my writing. It's a funny thing. I am kind when offering feedback on other's work. I always try to give their work in progress the benefit of the doubt. I don't extend this courtesy to my own writing. I'm never really satisfied with my work, and it… Continue reading imposter syndrome: writer’s edition
One of my students is obsessed with the concept of writer’s block. In her mind, writer’s block is this metaphysical monster or force that’s totally impossible to overcome. If she's got it, she finished. She’s right to be worried. An unknown entity that stops her from being able to write completely? Yikes. If her conception… Continue reading writer unblocked
There are two kinds of writers. Those who love writing first drafts, and those who love revising. I love writing first drafts. The first words of a new idea open a hidden door into a new world. Writing the first draft is exploring it, breathing foreign air, seeing new places unfold, and strange characters share… Continue reading my biggest (writing) weakness
One of Flannery O’Connor’s most popular statements goes, "I have to write to discover what I am doing. …I don’t know so well what I think until I see what I say." The more popular paraphrase is a little easier to parse. "I don’t know what I think until I read what I say." Novel writing… Continue reading the novel as multiverse
I've been practicing creative writing since I was a kid. Never studied it formally. My education was free at my local public library. After college, I thought, well, heck, I've read all these books. I'm going to write one. So I did. It was bad. I had no idea what I was doing. I could… Continue reading prequel: why write about writing
