Category: Writing
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Writer’s Block: A Leap Off the Lion’s Head
Many writers, especially young ones, will claim to have writer’s block; I was one of them. I no longer believe in writer’s block. In graduate school when I met with playwright Romulus Linney for the first time to discuss ideas for my first full-length play, I handed him my four page free-write about how I…
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Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling
I want to print these as posters and hang them around my office. Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling (with movie stills)! – ScreenCraft.
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Prompt the Second
Here is the next writing prompt. And it is a good one! “Visit a neighborhood you’ve never been to. Pick a random house. What’s the story behind that house and the people who live in it?” If you can do a prompt the same day that is great, if not, no worries commit to doing…
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Start a Non-fiction Blog: The First Step in My Grand Plan
My Grand Plan began three years ago when I moved back to my hometown in Michigan and was born of necessity. The job market in my little corner of Michigan is deplorable. The only full-time jobs are in fast food or at Walmart and the only work for an educated person is teaching, unless your…
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Where do Ideas Come From?
Where do ideas come from? It is a question all writers are asked and very few answer. I am going to answer it, sort of. I mean, I do not want to get kicked out of the union do I? The reason most writers give a vague answer to this question is there is no…
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In Training 2 Write: Prompt the First
As a runner trains for a marathon, so a writer needs to train. Last year, I created a blog on tumblr for the purpose of practicing writing and it was incredibly helpful. Crafting a 750 word story based on a Writer’s Digest Your Story prompt was a blast. The result of it had a big…
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50-word Story Challenge January 2015 Stories
An unexpected bonus I started the Challenge in January because I thought it would be fun. And it was. A creative exercise to get the brain going. Applying for the Kresge Arts in Detroit Fellowship in January, I found myself writing additional synopsis of my work at the last minute because I mis-read a section…
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Busting the Blues: Tips for Writing Through the Bad Times
We all go through ups and downs in our lives that make it difficult to be creative–money, love, family, friends. Here are some tricks that have helped me and others work through them. Finish Something Finishing something makes you feel good. If you need a pick-me up, try a simple project that can be completed…
