Writing (General)
The Elusive Vermont Accent
It’s got something to do with the “a’s” and “r’s.” At least that’s what I think.
I overslept one morning, and so, unable to make my own coffee, I ran into the general store on my way into work. Next to the assortment of Green Mountain Coffee is a large round table where the […]
Playing in the Dirt
It’s raining today, but I’m not as bummed out as usual. I can’t explain how it happened, but I’ve experienced a budding interest in plants, flowers, and, to be frank, dirt in general. I have somehow learned to love plants, growing things that are either edible or nice to look at, and enriching my soil—of […]
Choosing the Easier Road
Slipping all over the wet, packed, uneven snow, I rolled to a stop at the pond loop. The sticky snow had been rubbed off my skis during the descent and now I faced the prospect of either a relatively short ski to the Flatlanders trail that lead back to my car or a longer loop […]
From Blog to Book: Finding A Friendlier Tone
The more I reread my own writing during the editing process of my book, the more I’ve noticed just how combative and preachy I can sound. In fact, the more I read blogs in general I notice that many are written with a sharper tone: preaching, ranting, provoking. That’s kind of the blog style I […]
Balancing Projects
Writing revolves around meeting deadlines. This means that work sometimes piles up and one project in particular can demand all of your attention for a brief period of time. When a deadline for a major project looms, all lesser works are often forgotten, if perhaps worked on sparingly.
Pacing and planning are the keys here. […]
Your Writing Spot
I have read in a number of books that it’s very important to create a space for writing that is wholly your own and free from distractions. I confess that I didn’t quite buy it at first.
I am used to writing in a variety of cafes, at the dinner table, at the small desk […]
Deleting Good Writing
One of the lessons every writer must learn goes something like this: just because your writing is good doesn’t mean it works. This could be filed under the "not taking ourselves too seriously" section. In the process of recounting a story I can provide juicy details, detailed descriptions, and events following one another in quick […]
Newsletter Tips
Who has time to read newsletters? Well, some people do if the newsletter is helpful and concise. Check out these articles that offer some great advice on newsletters: one, two, and three.
Freelance Writing Price Guidelines
I found this great little article that helps freelance writers figure out how much to charge. I generally would guess somewhere between $20 to $25 per hour, though this article hints that certain situations may call for higher rates.
Southshire Pepperpot: New, Improved, and Ready to Ship
After hitting some snags with our previous publisher, the Southshire Pepper-Pot has been released again with Lions Mark Press. It has some awesome features, such as a real ISBN number now!!!
The Pepper-Pot is a collection of fantastic short stories and recipes by a group of Vermont writers. I was lucky enough to join them and […]
Living in Vermont, From the October Newsletter
If you already receive my newsletter, then you’ve had a chance to read the list of changes in my life since moving to Vermont. For those who have not yet seen it, I’m republishing it below along with a few additions at the end. If you enjoy what you read, you can sign up for […]
Telling Your Own Story
The Story Core Project and This American Life, both projects that focus on everyday people, confirm what we should have known all along: ordinary people are fascinating. Celebrity may amuse or interest on occasion, but who would take People Magazine over the story of a wealthy business man who attempts to negotiate a peace deal […]
On Improving Grammar and Punctuation
The web site Dumb Little Man provides the ultimate link list that will help writers improve their grammar and punctuation. Who doesn’t need a little help in this area?
Chiselville: Picking Out Paint
The paint mixer thunked away while Clint tapped his finger tips on the counter. Don Dunham sauntered out to visit. Boxes of bolts, screws, washers, and bits lined the walls, rattling with Dunham’s heavy foot steps.
Tom lined up a series of color chips at the color center and shuffled them about. He originally planned […]
Blogs on Writing
Writer’s Market has a great collection of blogs, complete with contests, writing prompts, and other tips.
Working to Spread the Word
The New York Times has an article titled “Selling Yourself, in a Good Way,” that is essential for every writer and other freelancer to read. Marci Alboher shares her revelation: “I realized that if I did not convey passion and pride about my ideas, how could anyone else?”
While some may worry about promoting themselves for […]
Writing About Nothing
Below is a writing exercise in which I was instructed to write about nothing for 20 minutes.
The music is pretty, but the dog was zooming through space so fast you could have heard a pin drop on a field of blazing tumbleweed. The dog landed and the aliens were so glad to see him […]
E-mail Newsletter Tips
Mail Chimp has a great list with six mistakes designers often make when putting together an E-mail newsletter. I’m not saying I haven’t made any of these mistakes, but the possibility of making such errors is reduced by simply using one of Mail Chimp’s newsletter templates.
I’ve used both of their templates for numerous newsletters […]
What size? Decaf.
I overheard a conversation today at a cafe. The server asked a lady which size she wanted for her drink, and she replied, “Decaf.” That’s a precious conversation in my humble estimation.
Such out-of-the-blue conversations are the perfect subjects for practicing the craft of dialog. Dialog is a challenge and starting with something a little […]
Blank is Beautiful
Clean, clear, crisp, conducive, contemplative: these are words every writer should associate with a blank page.
Despair, dubious, daunting, doubt, drivel: are another collection of words that typically stick to the blank page like a stubborn sticky note and give these white building blocks a bad rap.
Part of the challenge in writing is moving […]
