One of my elementary school readers had a story titled “The Longest Way Around Is Sometimes the Shortest Way Home.” That story comes to mind when I read advice about how to write an article or report by a specific deadline. Most of the advice divides the work into two distinct blocks. The first block is preparation  »  Read More

I hated spinach when I was a kid. Every time we had it for dinner, I would ask, in the whiniest voice possible, “Do I have to eat my spinach?” My mother would patiently explain that, yes, I did have to eat my spinach. I had to do it because it would help me grow strong and healthy. Rewriting is a lot like my spinach  »  Read More

There’s plenty of writing tips and advice that show you how to write better. This blog is about some things that will help you as a writer but not while you’re writing. There are eight of them. A Door You Can Close For most of us, writing is a solitary activity. We do better when we’re alone and undistracted. Having  »  Read More

Advertising legend David Ogilvy said that he preferred people with “well-furnished minds.” That’s what this post is about. There are lots of technical details to writing and you should master them. But there are also things that give you a well-furnished mind. That will improve your writing, deepen your knowledge  »  Read More