Every writer should read Shawn Coyne’s The Story Grid. Of the many things I gained from the book, the one take-away that stands out a few years later is his five elements of a story. I have used these five elements to write articles, tell stories in keynote speeches, and plan out short stories. Once…
On Writing
A collection of lessons, tools, and techniques on writing.
Give Your Characters an Immediate Motivation
“When I used to teach creative writing, I would tell the students to make their characters want something right away – even if it’s only a glass of water. Characters paralyzed by the meaninglessness of modern life still have to drink water from time to time.” Kurt Vonnegut (source) I’m still learning to write good…
Will my book still sell a decade from now?
In Zero to One Peter Thiel asks a really valuable question for entrepreneurs to ask about their businesses: Will this business still be around a decade from now? The corollary question an author must ask is: Will this book still be in print a decade from now? Will this book still sell a decade from…
The Ten Person Test: How to Get Feedback on Your Book
The other day someone asked me how they could get published. That’s a big question! There are so many different ways to get published today. Further into the conversation she asked, “So, should I get an agent?” That’s getting ahead of herself. Before you get an agent or an editor, get feedback on your writing….
Nonfiction Writing Technique: Compare Classes
The authors of some of the most memorable works of nonfiction establish the problem and solution proposed in their works by classifying people into two opposing groups. Most of the time these groups are arbitrary. The people in them, including the reader, do not intentionally identify with a certain group. The author, however, points out…
