The word “actually” serves no purpose except to irritate. - Dryer’s English 😂😂😂

Podcast for writers - "Writing on The Bad Days" at buzzsprout.com/1779741/8883470

I write fiction because it’s fun. That, and I’m insane.

John Steinbeck, you are a wizard.

When I read a book, I want to feast on life.

The more time you spend with fiction, the richer you become.

I think one of the reasons Anne Frank’s diary is so compelling is that she was honest. She wrote truthfully about her mother, navigating puberty, and her insecurities about herself. Yes, it’s a WWII account, but underneath it’s a picture of a girl with real thoughts and needs.

My job as a writer is to make contact with the truth. That’s not always easy for me to do.

I read Anne Frank when I was a kid and it was interesting. Now, having finished it as an adult, it’s humbling. Grateful for the reread and the perspective.

You think your pain is so unique, and then you read. -James Baldwin. Wow! This that’s what reading is all about. We read to learn more about the human condition, to not feel alone, and to understand.

Why have we become so incapable of concentrating? I just went to the movies and the trailers were a constant barrage of sound, explosion, and color. No story. Please, Hollywood, remember the story.

Sometimes, the only fix to life is a good song.

I just read a whole chapter about a turtle crossing a road in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I wonder—would today’s literary agents have thrown the book down only to proclaim it as unsalable? Probably. Although, I thoroughly enjoyed watching that turtle.

Story = Character + Desire + Conflict

This video is GOLD if you want to be a better storyteller. Wow! youtu.be/besI6G4p4nw

The number one job of a storyteller is to elicit emotion.

Every writer wonders if they’re good enough. Doubt is part of the creative process. In fact, I’d argue that something is wrong if you approached your art with complete self-confidence.

Given the choice between being safe and happy, we will pick being safe most of the time. Think about that next time you sit down to write.