Flash Fiction Friday: The Fan

          I have a strange fascination for ceiling fans.  There are great starters for stories.  Such as…   The squeakiness of the fan annoyed me, yet I enjoyed the sweat that rolled down her skin.  I tasted its salt and swished it around my mouth for a few moments before I leaned forward, gently pushing my lips against her lobes.  No words.  We sat there exchanging quiet kisses...

Writing Tip: Unstacking Writer’s Block

1. Don’t Believe the Hype A writer revealed to me that she does not believe in writer’s block.  So, just don’t believe a block exists.  Focus on the work. Mediate on it. Release the fears. I liken writer’s block to stage fright; you just have to do it to overcome it. 2. Rebel with a Pause In the middle of writing that long passage, an assignment, or blog post—stop. The wall comes up suddenly....

Five Ways to protect your Brand on Twitter: Please don’t write that!

1. Treat Twitter like the Office, and not the Office Water Cooler. Twitter is a great place to share your opinion. Yet, you still must be careful. Think about who you represent and how your image is represented in the media. Silence is the golden rule, especially during sensitive times.  Look at the case of Rashard Mendenhall, who tweeted his opinions about 9-11 and the recent elimination of Usama Bin Laden. ...

5 Writing Tips: Keeping a trenchant verbal edge

  When you are not writing or during your down time, it is a good idea to keep your mind sharp through exercise. Personally, I play Wordscraper on FB, I have another friend, a reporter who solves crossword puzzles in his free time. Try these activities in your off time to maintain or build your verbal skills.   1.       Play word games, puzzles, and other type verbal games As I noted above, I am an...

16 Writing Tips for Writers: The Basics

1.       Write every day It is the cliché we hear all the time but it does work. Writing everyday creates momentum. It forces you back to the well to drink more water, creating a relationship between you and your work   2.      Writing is Rewriting Hard writing makes easy reading and easy writing makes hard reading. This is the best quote I have heard that speaks for the need of rewriting. ...