When Their Hand Around a Locket Speaks With More Conviction Than the Movement of Their Lips
It's no one's place to say what constitutes as "bad" writing for anyone other than themselves. There are pieces of writing that can...
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- Sep 18, 2022
- 8 min
The Resonance of Our Speech
I would only order coffee under one of two circumstances. If C-- had arrived early and I'd seen her at a table, my first destination...
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- Aug 22, 2022
- 4 min
Building Character
In last week's Purposeful Prose post, I discussed the ways in which people value representations that they can impress some kind of...
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- Aug 8, 2022
- 5 min
It's All a Matter of Perspective
In writing, there are always options. While writing often needs to be evaluated to a standard, a style guide, a syllabus, a list of...
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- Jul 31, 2022
- 5 min
Is the Three-Act Structure Still Alive?
"Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS. One day, war broke out between the two races. After a long battle, the humans...
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- Jul 17, 2022
- 5 min
The Stakes of Our Stories
There's a reason why I call my site and blog "Purposeful Prose." Every part of every text I work with carries purpose, and a part of my...
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- May 22, 2022
- 12 min
What We Take From The Blue Castle: A Conversation
This conversation is the second part of my discussion with my wonderful colleague, Cate Otto. Together, we both chose passages that stand...
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- May 15, 2022
- 4 min
Who Invented the Circular Saw?
Asking Google, "Who invented the circular saw?" will yield Edmond Michel, and while he was credited with the development of a circular...
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- Apr 7, 2022
- 5 min
Isolation by Accident: Addressing How We Use Language
It's easy to say that we don't need to understand the way a person identifies, that it's better just to accept it. Abiding by that...
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- Mar 24, 2022
- 4 min
Only the Most Discerning Will Notice
It makes sense that large companies set aside funds for advertising. Company ads don't have to be good to be noticed. They just have to...
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- Mar 3, 2022
- 5 min
What is the "White Page Terror"?
I take issue with writer's block being treated like a disease unto itself, and my reason for coming to this conclusion can be...
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- Jan 13, 2022
- 5 min
I'm Going to Talk About Animals Today
Writing needs to make sense. Sometimes, whether intentional or otherwise, a sentence that seems to have one meaning can turn into a joke...
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- Jan 6, 2022
- 4 min
"It is a story that promises to get better." - Part 2
Anything can be discussed in therapy. A session revolves around the participant and what they want to discuss that day. A discussion with...
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- Dec 9, 2021
- 4 min
The Importance of Forming New Habits - Part 2
Sometimes, writers come to me with projects that they initially thought were going to be easy. When they're introducing their piece to...
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- Dec 3, 2021
- 4 min
Better is Possible
Content Warning: I am not a mental health or medical professional of any kind. The content given in this article contains mention and...
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- Nov 26, 2021
- 4 min
Meddling with Writing as Simulation
As an editor, when I see "in fact," I usually get rid of it. I'm not opposed to passive voice and I'm very lenient with a lot of...
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- Nov 18, 2021
- 5 min
The Importance of Forming New Habits
It's common for writers to develop rituals in preparing for, executing, and finishing a piece of writing. For some writers, those rituals...
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- Nov 4, 2021
- 5 min
The Big Why
Understanding what to do can help someone to adopt a habit and memorize a pattern of actions. The "why" goes a step further and gives the...
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- Oct 21, 2021
- 5 min
Shaped by Expectation - Part 4
"Good" writers are not made. They must choose to make themselves, to practice, to learn, and to develop their skills using the most...
15 views4 comments
![An Interview With a Science Fiction [Ghost]writer - Part 1](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5e186e1d5990c8ee4601ca13326bcd76.jpg/v1/fill/w_1500,h_1127,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/5e186e1d5990c8ee4601ca13326bcd76.jpg)
- Oct 14, 2021
- 8 min
An Interview With a Science Fiction [Ghost]writer - Part 1
I recently had the honor and pleasure of interviewing Gabriël Oosthuizen, a fiction writer from Cape Town, South Africa. While his focus...
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