I just listened to Lou Reed’s “Halloween Parade” which inspired me to write this Halloween post. Reed wrote his song as a tribute to friends who were lost because of AIDS, using NYC’s annual Halloween parade as a backdrop. His … Continue reading →
LITTLE PIECES OF HOPE—Happy-Making Things in a Difficult World by Todd Doughty is the most happy-making book I’ve picked up in a while. It is page after page—242 to be exact—of lists (who doesn’t love lists?) of happy-making things. Who … Continue reading →
I was reading from Little Pieces of Hope by Todd Doughty (wonderful little book, by the way) about Templeton in Charlotte’s Web and the role that a grouchy character plays in stories. Turns out, they do a lot. Grouchy characters … Continue reading →
I’m not going to say that I write beautifully, but I know that in some of my projects, my sentences have been prettier than my stories. I have painstakingly written “lovely” sentences that lead through a plot and, 45,000 words … Continue reading →
Planning is easy. Scribble a note on your To-Do list. There. A plan. You feel good about yourself. You’re going to tackle your goal. Then you carry on with the rest of your day or week or month. Your mantra … Continue reading →
A story idea can tumble easily from your head to paper, or it can take a couple (or more) earth-rotations around the sun. It takes time to commit your thoughts to story form, but you know what else it takes? … Continue reading →
Writing a story is like dropping breadcrumbs for the reader, and, in that way, every story is a mystery. The author leads the reader through the breadcrumbs. A well-written story with breadcrumbs properly laid leaves the reader feeling satisfied in … Continue reading →
Have you heard of Zentangle? It’s a meditative art form of repeated lines and circles (tangles) which results in some beautiful pieces. My friend, who is a Certified Zentangle Teacher, told me one of Zentangle’s philosophies is “The Elegance of … Continue reading →
Yes, we’re already doing so many things, it can feel like an impossible task to add on one more thing, even if it’s “Enjoy the fall season!” But we can do both. I love fall—it’s still warm, but there’s a … Continue reading →
Today’s inspiration is thanks to Seth Godin, marketing guru. His posts are full of thought-provoking info…plus they’re super short. Recently, he wrote about knowing your audience. Why are you in business? Who are you making/creating your products for? Good questions, … Continue reading →
