Writing Tools
Why it worked: A rhetorical analysis of Obama’s speech on race
An X-ray reading of the allusions, patriotic associations and parallel constructions in the speech.
Want to become a better writer? Follow these 7 steps, and look for new tools every day
Somewhere in a deep corner of my files, there is a single piece of paper…
7 ways to write a “kick-ass” column, via Sally Jenkins
This morning on Twitter I awarded The Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins a gold medal for…
Why I always play music during writing workshops
The most fun I have as a teacher is when I can incorporate music into…
After a few years out of print, ‘Coaching Writers’ will return
I met my first real writing coach in 1970. Don Fry was my graduate professor.…
Shark-hunting for ‘Old Hitler’ reveals storytelling tips
Lessons from a modern-day Captain Ahab on the prowl for Tampa's biggest shark
For Banned Books Week: An X-ray reading from Catcher in the Rye
Earlier this year the editors of American Scholar published a dozen examples of “best sentences,”…
Want to avoid procrastination? Impose an early deadline on yourself
When I wrote “The Glamour of Grammar,” I turned in the manuscript about three months…
Dashes — the Kardashians of punctuation
The dash is the Kim Kardashian of punctuation marks: misplaced, over-exposed, shamelessly self-promoting, always eager…
Accept praise for something great in your story – even if you didn’t mean it
We writers say we want more praise for our work, but, when it comes, we…
Friendly Fire: learn its history before you use it
An Afghan police officer stands guard during a campaign rally in the Paghman district of…
Why these are the ‘Ten Best Sentences’
The editors of American Scholar have chosen “Ten Best Sentences” from literature, and readers have…
A new explanatory journalism can be built on a strong foundation
I like young writers with big ideas. I met Ezra Klein last year at a…
For procrastinators: 6 gifts for writers
Christmas is just days away, but there’s still time to grab last-minute gifts — with…
