The full title of this book is: Make Every Word Count: a guide to writing that works—for fiction and nonfiction by Gary Provost. Gary, an author, speaker, and writing coach, had a unique sense of humor that flavored his writing and speaking. While I’ve often found plowing through a grammar or writing book tedious, Gary…
The September 7 publication date is six months away, but news like this will not wait. First, the title. When Linda and I teamed up for the anthology, our recent experiences with Colorado wildfires made the theme a no-brainer: Colorado’s Changing Climate—a deceptively flexible theme. Some members submitted climate change stories, while others interpreted “climate”…
A friend is getting ready to teach an online college-level course about “the business of creative writing.” He asked me for any strategies I would suggest along those lines and to pass along “things I’ve learned.” His prompt led me to write this note, below. Here’s what I sent him. ++ Things I’ve learned ……
Whether you’re waiting for an agent to offer representation, an editor to accept your short story or simply for the snow to melt, killing time can feel just that: vicious. Like the weather, there is little about this industry we as writers can control. We put words on the page or screen. We try again,…
Most writers are familiar with writer’s block. It is the painful moment when words no longer flow freely on the page. For me, writing fiction has always been an oasis, a safe place to explore my thoughts and feelings. When I first started writing, I wrote only for myself, scribbling in notebooks or on scraps…