This is perhaps the most concise, astute description I’ve ever read of the challenges of writing nonfiction. It comes from “Man’s Best Friend,” an essay by David Ebershoff. Before I finish [this story], I want to say something about writing from memory. I’m presenting these events as somewhat simultaneous or…
Cutting & Pasting, Old School
I am somewhat techno-phobic. I was among the last of my acquaintances to get a cell phone, and even in 2011, I use my phone almost exclusively to make and receive calls. (I couldn’t browse the Interweb on my phone even if I wanted to.) I still use the iPod that…
The Importance of First Lines
Compare: Gregor Samsa was a cockroach when he woke up one morning. vs. As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. Same idea, but a world of difference. Read them out loud. (Go ahead — nobody’s listening.)…