Category Archives: on writing

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” -Paul Cézanne When you sit down to write, do you think up all the inward lessons first and then write? Or do you write first and then develop the lessons as they come? I’m working on a newContinue reading “How Do You Write, Lessons First or the Inward Stuff First?”

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo Picasso Writing is the one place in this world where you can go and anything can happen. It’s a place where, if you are intentional enough, you can learn from situations before they happen. You can change the past and dream upContinue reading “Wash Away the Dust”

“What’s a bigger mystery box than a movie theater? You go to the theater, you’re just so excited to see anything – the moment the lights go down is often the best part.” -J. J. Abrams Yes! going to the movies lights my fire. It’s interesting though, when I first started writing, I dreamed ofContinue reading “Going to the Movies”

“It is perfectly okay to write garbage as long as you edit brilliantly.” – C. J. Cherryh It’s not about being perfect the first time. That first sentence is to myself. I’m not out here looking for perfection. I’m looking for honesty. I’m looking for guts. Write, delete, and edit all you want, but if youContinue reading “You Being You”

“I believe that we form our own lives, that we create our own reality, and that everything works out for the best.”  -Jim Henson One piece at a time. One day at a time. Rolling one sentence into a paragraph into a chapter into a novel. Ok, you get the picture, but I really thinkContinue reading “Rolling”

“I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: Entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives. Without it, they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you’reContinue reading “Be A Writer. Find Your Joy”

“A good poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. A good poem helps to change the shape of the universe, helps to extend everyone’s knowledge of himself and the world around him.” -Dylan Thomas This is such a romantic way toContinue reading “Romanticize Your Writer’s Life”

“The writer is an explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Writing soothes my soul. When we write, we get to explore more than land. We get to explore the vastness of our minds. We get to explore the universe. It’s interesting that I went to our local bookContinue reading “Writing is a Worthy Calling”

“My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.”-Ernest Hemingway On the first draft, my only aim is to tell myself the story. Then on the 100th draft, I try my best to find the simplest way. The simplest way isn’t the easiestContinue reading “Simple Way”

“The writing process for me is pretty much always the same – it’s a solitary experience.” -Sheryl Crow What’s wild about this quote is that the solitary part of the process may not change, but it’s also not getting old. Even after all these years, there are so many new things for me to learn.Continue reading “This Is The Fun Part”