Many writers roll their eyes at the topic of “critique.” We’ve heard the clichés about making nice. However, most writers aim for excellence and occasionally relapse into old habits. I dedicate this blog piece to a dear critique mate whose oral commentary of my partial novel amounted to “I hate … Read More
There’s no better – or cheaper – way to improve your writing and your motivation than by joining a good writing group. If you’re lucky enough to find a group that fits your personality and writing style, you’ll have a built-in “mastermind group” for moral support, technique and style tips, … Read More
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of posts on National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I first heard about NaNoWriMo in late October of 2010. I had been toying with the idea of writing a novel, but the task seemed overwhelming. My background as a writer was in … Read More
I was once in the world’s worst writing group. The group’s leader was a pleasant guy, an editor at a prominent local publication, but he was burdened with the world’s worst case of writer’s block. “I really want to write,” he’d say every week. “But I’m not ready to start … Read More