Writer, poet, journalist, editor, and more
So-- there it is. Your idea. You're knee-deep in the stream, and the current's moving fast. Suddenly, amid the pebbles and plants clinging relentlessly to the river bed, you see it. A nugget of gold nestled among the dirt. You reach into the biting cold water, gripping it in your palms. Now what? Instead of... Continue Reading →
Outlining is, for many writers, a necessary evil. Although not as complicated as plotting, it can still seem stifling for some peoples' creativity. That's why structures are so important-- they set up a basic framework, while still leaving plenty of wiggle room in-between. Most writers, in my opinion, use the Three Act Structure. It's been... Continue Reading →
Now in my second semester of college, I can look back on the first as a definite learning period, a time of trial and error. Nowhere else was this apparent was my schedule. Going in as an English major, my classes sapped all of my creative energy, leaving me with apparently nothing else left for... Continue Reading →
I'm one of those rare people that's actually still doing what they wanted to do in elementary school. You know, the dream job that you're sure 90% of your classmates will change their minds about. True, the job seemed (A) a whole lot easier and (B) a whole lot more rewarding-- but that's beside the... Continue Reading →
They say that mimicry is flattery. These days, mimicry is a more subtle art. Sometimes it can lean more toward plagiarism than respect. However, beyond that pessimistic thought, borrowing other's ideas is a proven tactic if you're lacking ideas (or enough ideas for a whole plot). Indeed, it seems that, with all of the novels... Continue Reading →
Ah, that familiar feeling-- the one of having no new ideas. In this world full of literally millions of possible plots and characters, it shouldn't happen, and yet it does, whether caused by a mental block or simply finishing one project and moving to the next. And what's to be done? How can we glean... Continue Reading →
Michael Nellis 