Michael Brooks

Why do you want to shut out of your life any uneasiness, any misery, any depression, since after all you don't know what work these conditions are doing inside you? Why do you want to persecute yourself with the question of where all this is coming from and where it is going? Since you know, after all, that you are in the midst of transitions and

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Timbre is that unique sound quality of an instrument bestowed by the wood or metal chosen. Articles have timbre too. Writers imbue their creations with subtitles, comma choices, and inflections that bear their unique signature.

An easy way to increase the size of that signature is to pack your subtitles with opinion . Rather than simply use them to... See more

We all live multiple lives in one, and our sense of self continuously dies in the process. So when you feel some fundamental changes occurring within you (i.e. feeling disconnected from certain friends, being discontent with a job you’ve historically enjoyed, questioning your faith, etc.), don’t be too afraid.

Always begin in mythology. It’s good fuel. Fables and fantasy don’t age or grow stale for one reason: They are a step into a dimension beyond the reach of time itself. Build with them.

Run an article through the four-part musicality test. It’s no guarantee of clarity, but clear and intriguing writing tends to do well on all measures.

• Writing rhythm —do the sentences vary? Color code them: 1-3 words yellow, 4-8 red, 9-13 green, 13+ blue.


• Article form —does the structure vary in a subtle, pleasant way?


• Argument harmony —is it

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