Writing
9 Powerful Tools That Will Proofread Your Content For You
There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that having good copy is essential for SEO. Having good copy means that when search engines crawl through your web …
GrammarUnfamous Valley: Why it sucks to be not quite famous
I recently changed my Twitter profile to include the following: “End User Agreement: Euny will read your tweets for US $20. Tweeting to her will be interpreted as an agreement to pay her.”<p>Why did I have to do this? Because I am Unfamous (not to be confused with Not-at-all-famous) in the least …
Writer's BlockThe Nitty Gritty Practical Guide to Giving your Characters Unique Voice
10 Key Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Characters<p>Character Voice is as difficult to pin down as it is critical.<p>Plenty of writing advice …
VocabularyMichael Connelly starts a new thread with 'The Late Show'
At the L.A. Times Festival of Books in April, Michael Connelly said of his iconic LAPD homicide detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch, “I didn't freeze Harry in time, because it's better storytelling not to. As long as he can keep his health and his knees are good, he can close cases.” Nonetheless, at …
AuthorsAthletes Perform to Poetry, the Prison Typewriter, and More | Poets & Writers
Every day <i>Poets & Writers Magazine</i> scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that …
Creative WritingMost Humor Depends on Specificity
A Dash of Style: The Art and Mastery of Punctuation<p>by Noah Lukeman<p>Adventures in the Screen Trade<p>by William Goldman<p>APE: Author, Publisher, …
AuthorsSocial Media Posts as Exemplars
Our students spend a lot of time tweeting, composing Instagram captions, and text messaging. In the process, they are carefully observing and …
LanguagePoets & Writers Theater | Poets & Writers
<i>A Wrinkle in Time</i>, Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 science fiction fantasy novel about a thirteen-year-old girl who travels through space and time in search …
Creative WritingThe Content Marketer’s Guide to Story Structure
Content is everywhere, most of it free and most of it utterly buried by other content. As content marketers, we struggle and fight to be …
StorytellingA Good Short Story Is “A Pill That Let’s Us See the Real”
Sarah Hall’s career has been rich in recognition, going back to her debut novel, <i>Haweswater,</i> which won the 2003 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. The …
AuthorsTips to Cut the Clutter in Your Writing
"Clutter is the disease of American writing," says William Zinsser in his classic text <i>On Writing Well</i>. "We are a society strangling in unnecessary …
GrammarJacob Anderson
JACOB ANDERSON IN LONDON, MAY 2017. PHOTOS: JASON HETHERINGTON/SERLIN ASSOCIATES.<p>As Grey Worm on <i>Game of Thrones</i>, Jacob Anderson is largely silent, …
AuthorsKeanu Reeves Cofounds Indie Press, Poetry of the Asian American Experience, and More | Poets & Writers
Every day <i>Poets & Writers Magazine</i> scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that …
Creative WritingOut, Darn Typos! Tips for Editing Your Blog Posts
Writing, whether it’s for blogs, social media posts, web copy, marketing messages, presentations, etc., has become part of a small business owner’s …
Small BusinessGENRES OF BUSINESS WRITING
A "genre" is a socially agreed upon and recognized form of communication that a group of people has developed over time to communicate more …
Visual DesignReady to Write Your Book? Here’s a Five Point Checklist
Writing often begins with wondering. Pen in hand, you find yourself asking…<p><i>Will people ever read what I write?</i> <i><br>Do I have what it takes to write a …
AuthorsEffortless copywriting (and why it takes sooooo much effort to get it right)
Why do people fancy Ryan Gosling? Apart from his impeccable suits, flawlessly rumpled hair and eyes that make your leg bones feel like chewed ham, …
CopywritingA Prisoner’s Only Writing Machine
Kenneth Foster, Jr., became a writer on death row. When he was nineteen, he drove three friends to two armed robberies in San Antonio, Texas; late that night, one of the friends shot and killed a man. Foster was in the car, approximately eighty feet away, but, under the Texas Law of Parties, he was …
AuthorsJohn Grisham Chats with Killers of the Flower Moon Author David Grann
John Grisham has invited book lovers and writers alike to listen to his podcast, Book Tour with John Grisham. So far he has made stops along the way, …
AuthorsThe Worst F-Word
A tenure-track dream youâve spent 14 years pursuing is not an easy thing to give up.
FreelancingThe Great Stephen King Reread: The Colorado Kid
The tiniest Stephen King book, both in page count and substance, <i>The Colorado Kid</i> came along after King disgorged three of his massive Dark Tower …
AuthorsHow to Create a Clear & Engaging Online Course Outline
Tick. Tick. Tick. All you see is that awful cursor flickering on your screen to tell you what you already know…<p><i>You still have a blank page.</i><p>When you …
Catherine Scrivener: snapshots, definitely
Catherine Scrivener is a young talented London based photographer. Visually inspired by the British capital night life, her pictures are a sort of …
ScrivenerScrub Up Your Copy: A Guide To Writing Email Messages
With attention spans averaging eight seconds, email copywriters can ill afford to load their copy up with excess words.<p>How do they avoid this? By …
Advertising IndustryThe Anatomy of a Compelling Course Sales Page (And How to Make One Yourself)
So you’ve just finished creating your online course and now it’s time to start promoting. You’ve spent months creating this valuable content and now …
MarketingAll The Toys You Need To Banish Stress
Most of us need the help of a soothing, repetitive task to help us get our critical thinking caps on. That's where the whole craze with fidget toys …
Writer's BlockThe Savvy Rube
In the introduction to <i>A Subtreasury of American Humor</i>, published in 1941, E. B. White told of the various disappointments and disillusionments he and …
AuthorsLet's Eat: Something diferente on East Passyunk
A white-hot dining destination; a classic summer drink.
Writer's BlockJunot Díaz Picture Book, Rebecca Solnit on Libraries, and More | Poets & Writers
Every day <i>Poets & Writers Magazine</i> scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that …
Creative WritingWhat is a Narrative Arc? • A Guide to Storytelling Through Story Structure
What is the Narrative Arc? • A Guide to Storytelling Through Story Structure<p>Has anyone ever told you that your narrative arc was too weak? Too …
Storytelling