Much great writing is born of frustration. In this case, my frustration as an editor stemmed from a recurring issue in several recent manuscripts: the inclusion of unattributed or questionable quotations that sent me down wild-goose-chase tangents, trying to trace their origins. These weren’t cases of plagiarism, just well-meaning writers (often subject-matter experts with limitedContinue reading “Effective Quoting: Boost Your Writing Credibility”
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On Reading “Classic” Novels
[Note: Having spent the last number of posts concentrating on the tools and hardware we use for writing, I decided to switch gears for a while and talk a bit about matters of reading for a few posts.] I’ve always thought that, as an editor, one of the most important things I can bring toContinue reading “On Reading “Classic” Novels”
The RetroWriter: Using A Vintage Computer for Distraction-Free Writing
[Note: This will be the last of a short series of posts centered on hardware for writing. A new series, starting soon, will take up more direct writing- and editing-centered concerns.] In the last installment of this blog, I outlined my creation of a portable digital device for distraction-free (or at least distraction-minimized) writing, utilizingContinue reading “The RetroWriter: Using A Vintage Computer for Distraction-Free Writing”
Introducing the Writebox: Creating A Distraction-Free Writing Device from an Older Laptop
This blog post discusses creating a distraction-minimizing writing device, with a focus on ex nihilo composition. The author advocates for a dedicated machine to concentrate on creating content and describes repurposing an old laptop into a composition-focused writing device. The device’s requirements and modifications, as well as an alternative Windows option, are detailed.
Affordable Alternatives to a Dedicated “Smart Typewriter”
Perhaps because so much of my social media is connected to the writing and editing community these days, I tend to get a lot of advertising about writing-oriented products, from gadgets to software to notebooks and pencils. A lot of that advertising lately has come from a company called Astrohaus, which makes a series ofContinue reading “Affordable Alternatives to a Dedicated “Smart Typewriter””
On Writing Tools and Rituals, Part Two: Considering the Digital
It’s worth saying again: your most important writing tool is your bum. Get that derriere in a chair and focus on words and ideas, whether you’re using the latest thing in computer technology or a chewed-up pencil on an old grocery sack (don’t forget that Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote his seminal Letter from BirminghamContinue reading “On Writing Tools and Rituals, Part Two: Considering the Digital”
On Writing Tools and Rituals
Part One: The Analog Advantage As a long-time teacher of writing and editing, it’s my first duty to inform you that your most important tool for writing is the most analog of all: your backside. It is, after all, the thing you stick in a chair so you can sit down and simply write! It’sContinue reading “On Writing Tools and Rituals”
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