Summertime is filled with celebrations of freedom. From Juneteenth and Pride Month in June, to the 4th of July and Bastille Day in July, to that glorious sense of freedom children feel on the last day of school in May or June (and which we all still feel inklings of, no matter how old we…
In the early years of my writing career, a magazine editor gently chastised me for using weak verbs in the article I’d submitted. “Use lively verbs,” he told me. Lively verbs? What the heck did that mean? I searched through my article again. Sure enough, most of the verbs I’d used were passive and emotionless….
Writing exercises are a favorite playground for many, many professional writers. Why? Because writing exercises do for your writing skills what physical exercises do for your body. A muscular build isn’t a “talent” you’re born with. It’s the result of dedication to a routine of exercises that focus on building up every part of your…
There’s nothing like writing to expose all your personality quirks. And by quirks, of course, I mean all those precious little neuroses, psychoses, proclivities, and the flat-out whack-a-doodleness that make you… you. Or is that just me? I’m going to assume I’m in good company. Humor me. I’m a bit of a perfectionist. (I’ll just…
“If music be the food of love, play on,” wrote Shakespeare. But it’s not just love that’s fueled by music. Moods, memories, energy level, motivation (or lack of it), desires, fears—all of these can be influenced by an inspired lyric or a well-crafted melody. And let’s not forget music’s effect on creativity. Many of the…