Tag: creative

One brash request, 7 books, and 34 bits of advice for writers

Early in October I received a small package from England, which looked most interesting even before I opened it. The envelope celebrated “Her Majesty the Queen’s PLATINUM JUBILEE.” Five stamps carried the postage, each with a distinctive image: Soldiers from World War II; three lines from my favorite Percy Bysshe Shelley poem, “ To a […]

The Smoker

This one time, my dad bought me a house in Providence, Rhode Island. It was a two-story fake Colonial with yellow aluminum siding on Hawkins Street. We bought it from the bank for $55,000; it was one of many properties under foreclosure in the city in 2009. Dad and I spent a few days looking […]

Purple Prose – What It Is And How to Avoid It

Although purple prose sounds pretty and like a way you would want your writing described, it’s actually not a good thing to have your writing described this way. If someone calls your purple writing prose, essentially, they’re calling it flowery. They think it’s too wordy, formal or trying too hard to be poetic. Although there […]

Postcard from Hudson

The other day we went to Albany so I could return all eight items I had bought online from Athleta. The store was in a giant mall that smelled tragically of Cinnabons. The Cinnabons reminded me of the TV series Better Call Saul, set in part in a Cinnabon shop, and the way Saul Goodman […]

What Does Writing Smell Like?

On my way to Everything Mason Jars one day, I saw a fancy-candle store. I’ve wanted a fancy candle for some time, so I popped in. Hi, welcome to Everything Candles! We have a hundred different fragrances. I’m Sandra. Can I help you? Me: Do you have a candle that smells like writing? Sandra: What […]

Playing it forward: San Diego Central Library exhibit an artistic game of telephone

For the exhibit “Lost in Translation,” San Diego artist Jackie Dunn Smith created a painting, right, purely from the words written by local writer Patrick Coleman, left. “What’s that saying: ‘there are a thousand words in a picture?’” So asks Chi Essary, a local curator, and arts advocate, when describing “Lost in Translation: A Game […]

Inaugural Tremont Writers Conference accepting applications for creative retreat in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tremont Writers Conference faculty Small-group morning workshops in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry will take place at Tremont’s campus inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The conference invites writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to apply now through April 30 for a spot at the five-day event, held Oct. 25–29, in […]

5 Changes I’m Making to My Writing Process This Year

Editor Michael Woodson reflects on past writing ups and downs and lists five changes he’s making to his writing process this year. Our most recent episode of Writer’s Digest Presents was all about measuring success as writers. My colleagues and I sat down for a conversation about how we measure our individual success, what success […]

The roadblock that is writer’s block

Every so often, you find that you can’t think of a single thing to write about — that’s where I am right now. I figured I’d write about that. Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio. Every so often, I’d wager […]

7 Common Mistakes Writers Make According To Ian Leaf

Whether you’re a professional writer or a student writing an essay, inevitable mistakes can detract from your work. As a writer, you should strive to write clearly, accurately, and concisely. Ian Leaf discusses some of the most common writing mistakes and how to avoid them. Read on to learn more! Incorrect Grammar Incorrect grammar is […]