Stories and fiction are not synonymous. Facts can mislead, and frequently do. Fictional stories can hold meaningful truths. Data can distract us. Whether we’re reading stories online or writing for others, we need to keep a few distinctions clear in our heads: stories vs. fiction, truth vs. facts, fibs vs. frauds. Stories and fiction For […]
Seth Godin
Leaving Room for the Unexpected
Rummaging through a box of possessions recently, I found programs for theater productions from high school and college. (I did a lot of theater back in the day.) Most of those performance have dissolved into the haze of distant memory. Some stand out, though. There was the time the set fell over in the middle […]
The Perils of Worshipping the Big Idea
Raise your hand if you’ve ever worried about someone “stealing your idea” – and let that worry stop you from doing something. We’ve all done it at one point or another. But except in patent situations and other unusual cases, those worries are usually unfounded. Worse, they can hurt us as writers. Be careful not […]
It’s Been Said Before – Write Anyway
“I want to write a book, and feel like I have something to say. But there are so many books in my field, and I don’t know if I’ll contribute anything original.” I’ve been hearing variations on this theme recently from people I admire and respect, who have led successful careers and are valued by others in […]
Writing for Resonance
A few years ago, my brother and sister-in-law gave us a beautiful bowl. Although I have always considered the bowl to be lovely, we’d had it for a few years before it revealed its true gift: It sings with me. I’m a classically-trained soprano. When I hit a specific high note in practice, the bowl starts ringing, extending and […]
Shut Your Monkey: A Book to Keep You Writing
Have you ever told yourself that you weren’t good enough to try something new or difficult? Do you put off writing that book because you doubt that you do anything worth reading? And even if you managed to complete something major, have you felt like an imposter? Often our biggest barriers are internal, and finding a path around them can be […]