Composition… Friday Flick: How to Tell a Story 1 Jul 201110 Jul 2011 A great reporter is a storyteller, and Scott Simon can do that, and even teach it. Here's Scott's storytelling advice:
Advertising… Friday Flick: Real Beauty 24 Jun 201125 Jun 2011 Even if you've seen this classic commercial, it's a great reminder that what we see in certain environments bears no resemblance to reality. It's also a reminder that some revisions…
Books… Writer Beware 23 Jun 201123 Jun 2011 You don't have to write in science fiction or fantasy to love Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. This organization serves all writers by warning us of disreputable editors,…
Courage… Scheduling Improv 21 Jun 2011 Listening to Krista Tippetts' interview with musician Bobby McFerrin, it first surprised me that he ever considered joining a monastic order, and that the main attraction was the silence! He…
Baby Boomers… Beginning Again? 18 Jun 201118 Jun 2011 Does it feel as though you're always starting over? I'm beginning new projects, new rounds of old projects, new teaching quarter. Therefore, clients and students are doing the same; some…
Books… If You Ask Advice from an Author 15 Jun 2011 If you ask 22 author friends for advice, they'll write you a whole book! Steve Silberman had been reporting on professionals with autism/Asperper's and became an expert on such neurodiversity,…
Change the World… Copyright Honor 7 Jun 20117 Jun 2011 One of my alma maters is known for the strictest of honor ©odes. To matriculate, we signed our allegiance to academic integrity and high standards of personal ©onduct. From time…
Books… How Do I Know? 6 Jun 2011 A friend asked today, "How do I know if anyone wants to read what I'm going to write?" Great question! Here are my first three thoughts about that: 1) You…
Books… Rhyme Time 2 Jun 20112 Jun 2011 Children's book editors conventionally whine about rhyme. It's so hard to write tight in rhythm and rhyme, they'd rather not brave it. Then they have children of their own, and…
Academic Writing… My Favorite Kind of Payday 31 May 2011 In my introductory college skills class this quarter, a student told me about repeatedly sabotaging his final Naval promotion because at that level, he'd be required to write reports galore. Writing…
Blogging… Inertia 24 May 20117 Jun 2011 You remember inertia: a body in motion tends to remain in motion; a body a rest tends to remain at rest. This blog has been a rest a few weeks,…
Blogging… Time Out 29 Apr 20115 May 2011 My computer has requested a break. It did break. Bad news: my three years of Apple Care have recently expired, and it's a defective logic board. "Sounds expensive," I say. "Very," says…
Gwyn Nichols 