When in doubt, use the simplest word possible. There’s this idea, in writing, that you have to sound English-y, pontificating, official, in order to get your idea across. In reality, the opposite is true. Specific words and labels help us to understand the world around us. (You need only to think of the difference between … [Read more…]
You know that “Shoulda said” moment? For me it happens on the drive home or in the middle of the night, as I replay a situation in my head, and wham, I shoulda said… Valentine’s Day, in modern times, is relegated to candy hearts and little paper greeting cards, and is largely a holiday dedicated … [Read more…]
[This article on creativity and finding your muse was recently published on Medium.] Oh, that elusive muse… By Annalisa Parent I recently had the honor of presenting to the League of Vermont Writers at their annual meeting. I got to speak on one of my favorite topics: accessing creativity. There are a lot of ideas out there … [Read more…]
There are a lot of ideas out there that creativity only belongs to “creative types” such as Dickens, DaVinci or Debussy. Thank goodness this is just a myth. Creativity is something any person can access at any time– for painting, sculpting, writing? Sure. But for problem solving of any kind– cooking, engineering, or a roadside … [Read more…]
Thank you for your emails and comments yesterday. It was so great to hear from you. I understand that the writing struggle is real, that some of you are really feeling the weight of wanting your creativity to come out and soar. We’ve spent the last few weeks talking about finding a place where you … [Read more…]
1) Writing is an art. Although many writers will pay the bills with technical writing or designing social media posts, they are still artists. Art is about experiences, emotions, forms, and substance. Many people can write a grammatically correct sentence. But the writer will know that sometimes you start a sentence with a conjunction such … [Read more…]
Writing Tips: Surefire ways to Kiss Writer’s Block Goodbye The idea is all around us: writers must read. Reading makes better writers. What’s all this hype? Is it really true? And most importantly, how can reading get us unstuck and beyond writer’s block? Reading gives us the opportunity, not only to get lost in a … [Read more…]
Writing Tips: Surefire ways to Kiss Writer’s Block Goodbye The idea is all around us: writers must read. Reading makes better writers. What’s all this hype? Is it really true? And most importantly, how can reading get us unstuck and beyond writer’s block? Reading gives us the opportunity, not only to get lost in a … [Read more…]
by Annalisa Parent www.annalisaparent.com I have a writer’s notebook. No, I do. It’s just that I haven’t yet gotten in the good habit of having it with me—all. the. time. So, of course, inspiration strikes when I’m at the grocery store, or at work, or in the car; and random notes get jotted down on … [Read more…]
In one of the most notable scenes of one of my all time favorite chic-flicks, Bridget Jones chides her love interest (So Austen-ly named Mr. Darcy) of making her feel like an idiot. “I already feel like an idiot most of the time anyway,” she says.Yeah, I get it. While I (thankfully) don’t slide down … [Read more…]
All the crap you read in high school Why revisiting all that school-assigned literature is worthwhile By Annalisa Parent Please, do not get me started on Melville’s Billy Budd. In high school, I was an avid reader, but this book challenged my love of the printed word. I am sure that when the last page … [Read more…]
The Almost Right Word: A Talk by Stephen Kiernan By Annalisa Parent The basic building block of writing is, of course, the word. As famous British poet and critic Samuel Coleridge once wrote “Prose is words in their best order—poetry is the best words in the best order.” As writers, therefore, regardless of genre, we … [Read more…]
This article “The Rules of Writing are Nothing like the Rules of Real Life” that I wrote for Medium has gotten a lot of attention recently, and I was honored when a reader highlighted this section as meaningful. Click the photo below to read the article, and please feel free to overshare. Got something to … [Read more…]
I’ve just gotten the news that my book review of Skip Press’ How to Write What You Want and Sell What You Write has been published by the Australian Writers’ Magazine Writer’s Edit. I am so pleased and honored, and hope to do more writing for them in the future. I was especially honored by this … [Read more…]
I am so delighted to have fantasy writer Barbara Alsop writing for the Medium Channel I edit. Please check out her article Are Writers’ Workshops Really Helpful? I am currently seeking guest bloggers to write about the writing process and the writing life. If you are interested in submitting, please send your pitch and writer’s … [Read more…]
Odd things happen when you google yourself. Like something on this list just doesn’t fit: Can you find it? Well, either it doesn’t belong or I’ve secretly been transformed into a hippo. You decide. If you missed the video clip from my television writing and producing days, click the link above, and sit back … [Read more…]
Never leave “this” standing alone. This is why. This could lead to confusion. This is really common. What the hell is “this?” Use “this” as an adjective. It should modify something. This method is a much clearer way of writing. This type of communication expresses its ideas more effectively. This idea should now be evident … [Read more…]
In a recent post I mused on why writers are never alone. It’s important to get out and talk to other writers, and the Burlington Writers’ Workshop gathering at Bluebird Barbecue this week did exactly that. It was so great to sit across the table from writers working on exciting projects, and talk to them … [Read more…]
This is a great article on writing by fellow writer Diane MacKinnon. It’s well worth the read and has certainly inspired me today. Are You Taking Massive Action or Passive Action? My friend and mentor, Brooke Castillo, has often spoken about taking “massive action.” Her definition of massive action is taking action until you get the results you … [Read more…]
By Annalisa Parent www.annalisaparent.com Every summer I have the honor and pleasure of teaching a six-session English writing intensive workshop at one of the local universities. This year I focused all of the activities around Dickens’ little-known short story “The Signal Man.” If you’ve not yet read it, it’s worth checking out, and best of all, … [Read more…]