Posts Tagged ‘writing advice’
Got kids? Here’s how to turn them into writers.
As a teacher and a writer, I often give parents advice on helping their children to become effective writers who (more importantly) love to write. My advice is simple: Be the best audience possible for your child’s work. If he or she wants to read something to you, drop everything. Allow the chicken to burn…
Read MoreWriting advice from a toddler that authors should heed carefully
When my daughter was three years old, still unable to read, she taught me three invaluable lessons about the craft of writing. Specifically, she offered three specific pieces of criticism made an impression on me as an author and remain with me today. 1. Don’t overwrite. More importantly, don’t refuse editing. After watching some of…
Read MoreFour pieces of perfect truth on the nature of writing and work by Dan Kennedy
Dan Kennedy is an author, storyteller, screenwriter, and host of The Moth’s podcast and their live shows. I first met Dan in 2011 when I took the stage for the first time and told a story at The Moth. He was hosting that night. I took the stage, shook his hand, and told my story. I…
Read MoreWhy does writing instruction so often suck?
Slate’s Matthew J.X. Malady offers any number of reasonable answers to this question, but I think the answer is far simpler: Writing instruction at the elementary, middle, and high school levels is taught primarily by teachers who are not writers and do not engage in writing on a regular basis. Most teachers are readers. We…
Read MoreCan’t find the time to write?
When people tell me they don’t have enough time to write, I tell them to throw a trashcan through the window of a bank or airport. – Dan Kennedy, author of Rock On: An Office Power Ballad (which I recommend in audio form), American Spirit, which is sitting on my shelf, and Loser Goes First,…
Read More