writing advice

Share stories we can’t google.

If you’re not like them, however, if you’re not (sad to say) a rare genius, and you wish to, gradually, over time, raise the level of the (more or less limited) talent you do have, and make it into something powerful, I believe my theory might be of some value. You toughen up your will as much as you can. And at the same time you equip and maintain

Treat people like they are smart, not like you’re smarter than them.

When looking for details or fresh, unexpected ideas to add to a piece you are writing re-read notebooks.

The cliché is to have a character inform another character with an info dump or a quote and have the other character react to hearing it as if they are hearing it for the first time or learning something. What is more interesting is to have the second character already know what the first person tells them. This imbues the second character with

Notice how in the beginning, the number of items reduces: 4, 2, 1, 0. Then in the end, the number of items increases: 1, 2, 6. Not only do the cascading numbers create momentum, but they add context, scale, and curiosity to the items that follow them.

4 Bloody Mary's ... he's looking to get wasted?

2 Grapfruits ... why two?

A pot of coffee ... by

⁠It taught me a lesson too. The difference between a “writer” and “somebody who writes” is the difference between showing up on a schedule and only showing up when you’re inspired. If you insist on always loving the craft, you’ll quit in the face of turmoil.