• Chapter 1

    How to become a more disciplined writer

    September 20, 2014 / No Comments

    At work, I’m on constant deadline. In the rare moments when I’m between breaking news events, I spend my time searching social media, contacting sources and checking out the competition for the next big story. I simply don’t have the time to dawdle.

    When I attempt to write fiction, however, procrastination can sometimes get in the way of productivity. Making stuff up is far more challenging than sharing facts and quotes. There are no looming deadlines forcing me to buckle down. And, frequently, the fear of sucking whirls like a fog through my Nauru-sized imagination.

    To prevent the blank page from mocking me into writer’s block, I simply buckle down and get to work. Here’s how:

    Look for inspiration

    * Read, in your preferred genre and outside of it. Learn how to become a better writer by reading authors who have serious talent.

    * Carry a notebook at all times to store random titles, story ideas, characters and bits of dialogue.

    * Subscribe to The Written Word, a free service that sends a writing- or publishing-related quote to your e-mail box.

    * Subscribe to The 10th Muse. This mailing list offers one or two writing prompts a week, perfect for inspiring your latest journal entry or freewriting session.

    * Speaking of freewriting, give it a try. Sometimes you just need to warm up a bit before diving into your latest writing project. There are plenty of great websites and books offering writing prompts, but I highly recommend “The Amazing Story Generator” by Jay Sacher.

    Eliminate distractions

    * Turn off your phone. Seriously. Don’t just put it on vibrate. Turn it off.

    * While you’re at it, shut down the Internet, too. Email, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, these sites are awesome …and total time-sucks. An easy way to hinder your access is to download and use Freedom.

    * Avoid people who do not support your writing. If you grant access to these folks, they will poison your muse.

    Develop a writing routine

    * Timed pop-up reminders encourage me to stand every 30 minutes and stretch. Computer reminders point out upcoming appointments/events. I even have a reminder to alert me to the fact that my tea has finished brewing. Consider setting reminders on your computer to work on your latest project.

    * Try the 100-word challenge. Every day, vow to write 100 words, no less. This practice not only encourages you to develop a daily writing habit, it builds up your confidence and your portfolio. Inevitably, you’ll write more than 100 words; the first 100 will simply clear out the dust bunnies in your brain.

    * If you have a superstition that works for you, indulge yourself. Doing so will put you in a focused frame of mind to create. When I write nonfiction, I do so in my home office. I generally prefer to work in silence. I drink hot tea or pop. When writing fiction, I prefer to work away from my desk. I often listen to playlists specifically designed for the project at hand. And I drink iced chai lattes.

    * Set self-imposed deadlines. I will finish my novel by the end of the year. I will blog five days a week. I will participate in National Novel Writing Month and pen 1,500 words a day for 30 days. Give yourself a goal and start working towards it.

    * Know when to stop. I like to kill off random characters or leave them in a jam at the end of a chapter. That way I have something interesting to ponder for the rest of the day/night. I also like to end my daily writing effort in the middle of a sentence. Sounds odd, but it works.

    Lastly, consider these sage words by John Gardner: “The real message is, write in any way that works for you: write in a tuxedo or in the shower with a raincoat or in a cave deep in the woods.”

    Just write!

  • Upcoming event in Keene, NH

    September 15, 2014 / No Comments

    If you’re free on Wednesday night (Sept. 17) and interested in discussing any and all things related to writing/publishing/journalism, I’ll be speaking to the Among the Elms writers group at the Toadstool Bookshop (222 West St., Keene, N.H.). The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome.

  • bender

    August can bite my shiny metal ass

    August 31, 2014 / 1 Comment

    August has always been a Murphy month for me. At some point, without fail, bad things will happen, and by bad things I mean everything from technological difficulties, cooking mishaps, unexpected expenses, traffic jams, communication breakdowns and mosquito bites to debilitating illnesses, natural disasters, accidents and/or death.

    As usual, this year did not break the trend. I won’t get into much detail here; let’s just say that several of the items on the above list occurred, all in the span of a week. So if I’ve been unusually grumpy lately, I apologize. August just has that effect on me.

  • Oh Robin Williams, how you made us laugh… and cry

    August 12, 2014 / 3 Comments

    Like millions of fans, I loved Robin Williams. I enjoyed his quick wit and no-holds-barred brand of comedy. I greatly admired his prolific career and Oscar-winning acting talent. Most of all, I adored his generous spirit. He touched so many lives in so many ways. I just can’t believe he’s gone.

    “What Dreams May Come”
    “Dead Poets Society”
    “The World According To Garp”
    “The Bird Cage”
    “Aladdin”
    “Dead Again”
    “Good Will Hunting”
    “Jumanji”
    “Awakenings”
    “Good Morning, Vietnam”
    “Mrs. Doubtfire”
    “FernGully”
    “Hamlet”

    These were the Robin Williams films that made me laugh… and cry. Over the years, his work imprinted upon me, creating a tapestry of people and places and stories and memories that remain evident in the person I am today. While I’m tempted to hold a movie marathon in honor of this cinematic legend, I know that if I did so now, there would be too many tears.

    Perhaps someday.

    Instead, I shall remember how often — and lovingly — Robin Williams spoke of his children: Zelda, Cody and Zachary. And how his wife Susan found the strength to give a beautiful and heartfelt statement so soon after losing her best friend.

    I’ll think back to the time Robin Williams helped save his friend’s life. After actor Christopher Reeve was left paralyzed by a horrible horse-riding accident in 1995, he seriously pondered pulling the plug. It was then that Williams showed up at the hospital, dressed as a doctor, and did what he did best; he made his friend laugh (no easy task in such a dire moment). Reeve later told Barbara Walters, “I knew then: If I could laugh, I could live.”

    I’ll recall Robin Williams’ many comedy specials, interviews and performances on television. These appearances, especially the one on “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” made me laugh until my cheeks hurt and my belly ached.

    I’ll look back on the two times I saw Robin Williams live, once during a fascinating conversation with Lillian Ross at The New Yorker Festival, and once during a promotional event for “Man of the Year.” In both cases, I marveled at his genius.

    I’ll search through my hard drive to find the Audible recordings Robin Williams created in the early oughts, years before podcasts were en vogue. I particularly enjoyed the chats he did with Oliver Sacks, Walter Cronkite and Harlan Ellison.

    I’ll pay tribute to his tireless efforts to raise money and spirits for charitable organizations like Comic Relief, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the LiveStrong Foundation and the USO. Why, to many in the service, he was the Bob Hope of their generation.

    I’ll reminisce about how Robin Williams’ performance in “Dead Poets Society” inspired me to launch a similar organization at my university. Late at night, our small band of literati would gather in the dark and read poetry by candlelight. I later wed my soulmate near a poet’s grave.

    Lastly, I’ll remind myself of how much Robin Williams loved to make people laugh. Ultimately, that should be his legacy.