“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” - Eleanor Roosevelt People are always talking about how they need to be better, to improve …
Inspiration
Stay Out of the Result
For any writer, here’s a question to ask yourself: “Why do I want to write this?” A student told me recently that he was writing his first novel in order to sell it for a lot of money. Though I …
What is Success?
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” - Socrates Years ago, I was on the phone with a prospective student, and he announced, “I will consider myself a failure if my book does not become a …
Hold the Story Loosely
“Film is a dramatized reality and it is the director’s job to make it appear real . . . an audience should not be conscious of technique.” - David Lean Our idea of the story is never the whole …
What Do I Write Next?
Writers frequently come to me and say: "I have three ideas. Which one should I write next?" In the 90-day workshops, one of the first exercises we do is we write for five minutes, beginning …
Playing on the Page
When there is a story problem you can’t solve, or there appears to be no way out for your characters, remember one thing: It's not your job to solve it. Instead, get excited by the complication. The …
Setting a Plan with Purpose
Do you often find it hard to stick to your writing plan? How often do we get distracted by “important tasks” that pull us away from our deeper purpose? Fantasy football sounds like a hoot, but if it …
Creativity is Your Birthright
Creativity is your birthright. We live in a culture that is invested in our believing otherwise. I frequently hear folks talk of talent as though it's a finite commodity. People tend to think you …
A Pencil for Christmas
When I was three, my mother asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I said I wanted a pencil. Oh God, so badly, I wanted one. I ached for my pencil. I dreamt about my pencil. Toys held no interest …
What is Genius?
What is genius? I don’t like it when people use the term genius, primarily because I think they misuse the word. I believe that genius is an aspect of our nature, rather than a character trait …