Wise advice from author Zadie Smith: Put your manuscript in a drawer until you become its reader rather than its writer. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Become Your Work’s Reader” Here’s some excellent writing advice from the...
Novelist Jodi Picoult has some no-nonsense advice for writers who just can’t seem to get started. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Picoult Writing Advice” If you’re having trouble getting going on a writing project, here’s some...
Barry Lopez was the author of Arctic Dreams (Bookshop|Amazon),winner of the National Book Award, and the editor, along with his wife Debra Gwartney, of Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape (Bookshop|Amazon). In the introduction to his...
Bonnie Hearn Hill’s essay “What I Wish I’d Known” offers aspiring authors lots of great tips gleaned from Hill’s long career of writing books. The essay won a contest sponsored by The Writer magazine. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript...
Author Stephen King’s book On Writing is an excellent guide to the craft. In it, he warns that “the road to hell is paved with adverbs.” Much other writing advice also says to cut adverbs, and even adjectives. But is that truly good advice? Grant...
Writing advice from Mark Twain, who was not a fan of adjectives. In The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, he says, “As to the adjective, when in doubt, strike it out.” He also wrote a letter with clever, useful advice that still holds true for the...