July 14, 2026 I am - well, somewhere in here (NASA photo) For the last few weeks, the local weather has whipsawed between stifling heat and the short but fierce downpours we Southerners call “toad stranglers.” My writing has gone through similar highs and lows that stranded me in my personal doldrums, like a sailing… Continue reading On writing: Escaping the doldrums
Tag: books
Writing: What you know, remember, and dream up
March 9, 2026 The real beach where my fictional characters hang out. Photo © Dave Swan. If you've been writing for any length of time, you've heard "Write what you know." In fact, you might've been inculcated with it, which is the ten-dollar way of saying, "had it knocked into your head." Often attributed to… Continue reading Writing: What you know, remember, and dream up
On writing: Tools for the hand and mind
February 6, 2026 When I retired from my last regular job in communications, my wonderful colleagues sent me off with a nice dinner, lots of shared memories, and best of all, a toolkit for my new writing career. It includes all this: A little notebook, which any writer worth their salt should keep within reach.… Continue reading On writing: Tools for the hand and mind
Where are my future readers?
August 25, 2025 Photo by Min An on Pexels.com As if writing, scrambling to get published, and being rejected weren't hard enough, the audience for books appears to be shrinking fast. According to a new study, just 16% of American adults - one in six - read for pleasure on a given day in 2023.… Continue reading Where are my future readers?
On writing: Great expectations, or the worst of times?
July 10, 2025 You've got a winner. The idea for the story came so naturally that you just knew it was special. You visualize the whole thing before sitting down to write, as if all nine muses joined forces to plant it in your head. The words fly onto the screen and you love how… Continue reading On writing: Great expectations, or the worst of times?
Writing the natural way
December 4, 2024 Until the other day, one of the ginkgo trees in our back yard stubbornly resisted the onset of winter. The leaves stayed bright, keeping a trace of green while other trees faded to dull brown. Then, like a stripper at last call, everything came off in a hurry. The life of an… Continue reading Writing the natural way