Get words on paper faster in the second step of the writing process
There comes a point in any writing project when you need to follow Ernest Hemingway’s rule for writers: Apply the seat of your pants to the seat of a chair.… Read the full article
Writing process, improvement
How to interview a person for an article
‘Get the name of the dog’ and other ways to get creative material
I still remember — more than a decade later — one of the thousand heartbreaking stories about Hurricane Katrina victims, an AP report about the Superdome evacuation:
Many people had dogs, and they could not take them on the bus.
… Read the full article Research for writers: Get good at getting the goods
Conduct background research, observational research and interviews
You’ve heard the phrase “hog in, sausage out.” That means that what you get out of the grinder will be no better than what you put in it.… Read the full article
How to interview for an article to get stories
How to find the aha! moment and other tools
Call it an aha! moment:
Alone in his laboratory on a snowy evening the week before Christmas, Dr.
… Read the full article What is a story angle?
4 ways to find your focus
My favorite scene in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is when Steve Martin finally blows his stack at John Candy’s irritating character.… Read the full article
How to conduct observational research
Try WBHA, or writing by hanging around
You’ve heard about MBWA, or management by walking around? Try WBHA, or writing by hanging around — going to the scene to observe.… Read the full article
Create fill-in-the-blanks story writing templates
Save time, effort when you stop reinventing the wheel
An old friend was kvetching recently about his lousy job. After working for a series of magazines, he’d landed at the metro daily, where he was editing a daily page of tips and tricks for the lifestyle section.… Read the full article
Creative templates outperform thinking outside the box
Templates more effective than brainstorming, free association
Can creativity be templated?
Yes it can, according to a team of Israeli researchers.
In 1999, the researchers studied 200 ads that had been award winners or finalists in top advertising competitions.… Read the full article
How to read like a writer: Winston Churchill
Make Churchill your muse for executive sound bites and more
Edward R. Murrow said of Winston Churchill: “He mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.”… Read the full article
How do you read like a writer?
Read for technique, not just for information and entertainment
Years ago, I ran across this passage Stephen Schiff wrote about Australian film director Fred Schepisi for The New Yorker:
As Schepisi talks, his hands play along: they’re the nipping boat, they’re the foaming river; when they clap, they’re the waterfall.
… Read the full article