✎ on writing on writing
I pored over several of Roxane Gay’s New York Times op-eds. I studied how she approached them and how she framed her arguments, paying particular attention to structure, tone, and word choice.
Mallary Tenore Tarpley • Skip the diet talk today (+3 writing-related tips)
read the work of your favorite authors, diagram the structure, study the tone
your story’s “heartbeat”—the emotional core that gives your narrative life. Not the plot, but the emotional journey. For memoirists, this might be: “Learning to forgive my father taught me how to parent myself.” For novelists: “The search for external validation ultimately destroys what is most valuable.” Write a single sentence that captures what... See more
Allison K Williams • Worth the Climb: Self-Editing Secrets That Actually Work
essays to read!!
When I dress for an interview, I want to look a little better than my usual self. In the same way, I want my essay to sound like me, and a little better.
Personal essay writing tips from Roy Peter Clark, 'America's writing coach'
on voice and how you want your (writing) voice to sound a little better than your (actual) voice / self
writers should live their lives in the form of a question
How to get better at capturing details during interviews (Part 1)
I read a lot that was repetitive. I still felt like it was worth it. It took time to learn and absorb the material, especially the science, so reading the same thing ten times would drill that into me more. But also, that’s how you learn what is a cliche. You start to realize: Everyone says this, so I won't say it the same way.
Erika Hayasaki • Going From Idea to Published Book
when you learn about an issue and you see everyone is saying the same things about it, don’t say those things again
When a writer labels a work that resembles prose as poetry, they’re suggesting the work be evaluated in the court of poetry rather than that of prose. Pay less attention to plot, narrative and other prosaic devices, and instead the building blocks of poetry: sound, rhythm, and, most importantly, image, the sensory details conjured in our minds.
KOPI BREAK ORDER #020 — Czander Tan: “Manila Skyline”
on wtf is prose poetry—and also: “If a line break truncates a thought into sizable chunks, using pauses to mediate the reading experience, this poem wants us not to pause, to quickly take in…”
What is 'Memoir Plus' and why is it so hot right now? — Nour Sallam - Literary Agent
Nour Sallamnoursallam.com