Interviews are useful in a variety of types of writing, especially journalism and creative nonfiction. Whether you want your brother’s take on an important piece of family lore for your memoir or you need to pick the brain of an industry leader for a profile, knowing how to write from an interview is a vital…
Outlining is a typical part of the writing process. Whether you’re working on a fictional project, like a novel or a short story, or you’re writing a long academic essay, having an outline to work from is useful. It can help keep you on track so you don’t leave out anything important. That said, outlining…
The memoir genre has taken off in the past several decades. And between personal essays in online magazines, lifestyle blogs, and even social media, we’re revealing more of ourselves to each other than ever before. Writing about your personal life has become the norm. Regardless of the medium, knowing what to include and what to…
Self-care has become synonymous with bubble baths, candles, overpriced dessert, and putting off work that needs to be done. While this mindset can be problematic, it’s also true that we all need to unwind and destress from time to time to avoid burnout. I’ve picked up a few habits that I specifically use as a…
When I’m writing on my laptop, I often find myself reaching for a pen and the journal I keep handy. This is especially true if I’m feeling stuck and can’t work out what should happen next or how to craft the next line of dialogue. I also usually do a lot of the behind-the-scenes work…
When I first starting taking creative writing classes, I was told by multiple professors that I would need to learn to “read like a writer”. I’d been an avid reader my whole life, so it didn’t seem like a particularly difficult goal. However, this somewhat vague directive can be more challenging than it seems. Even…
If you had asked me the question, “What is creative nonfiction?” five years ago, I probably would have shrugged and said, “I don’t know – boring?” However, once I actually started studying and writing this genre, I found that was far from the truth. Part of the reason why so many readers and writers find it…
When pursuing any kind of creative career, money is always a concern. If not for you, then probably at least for friends or relatives. There’s nothing more exhausting than answering the question, “So, how are you going to make money doing that?” over and over again. While the starving artist persona may seem romantic for…
While most writers would probably love to be able to focus solely on their creative pursuits, the reality is that no one’s paying you to spend three years writing your novel. Very few can keep the lights on by their pens alone, especially when first starting out. For most, a full-time job is a must….
New year’s resolutions tend to get a bad rap. Most people focus on what they didn’t achieve, and it’s pretty rare to hear anyone talk about actually accomplishing what they set out to do on January first. However, setting goals for the coming months is still a popular tradition, including for practiced and aspiring writers….