Change the World… Branding the New Year 31 Dec 201130 Dec 2011 My favorite book designers had a brainstorm. They said, "For many people, 2011 was not such a good year in so many ways . . . . But to be…
Film… Friday Flick: Two Brothers 4 Nov 20116 Nov 2011 Filmmaker Rick Stevenson vividly recalls certain observations he had in his childhood. (I LOVED his brilliant and candid introduction.) He was ambitious enough to follow over 60 children through 5000…
Completion… Tempted to Quit Writing? 3 Nov 201131 Oct 2011 "Struggling with your novel? Paralyzed by the fear that it’s nowhere near good enough? Feeling caught in a trap of your own devising? You should probably give up." Lemony Snicket My…
Inspiration… The Apple of Your Eye 2 Nov 201131 Oct 2011 Novelist and English professor Mona Simpson delivered this eulogy for her brother, Steve Jobs. Not everyone will be remembered by millions, but anyone can aspire to succeed in both career…
Process… NaNoWriMo Anyone? 1 Nov 201131 Oct 2011 "My confidence comes not from the success of my books but that I keep showing up." -- Natalie Goldberg on video for NaNoWriMo NaNoWriMo begins today: National Novel Writing Month.…
Collaboration… Google and the Great Pumpkins 31 Oct 201131 Oct 2011 The Google doodle team outdid themselves today with thousand-pound pumpkins. They're thinking fun, creativity, teamwork, company spirit. And I'm thinking Typography! I enjoyed this article and additional behind-the-scenes footage from…
Humor… Friday Flick: Geese 28 Oct 201128 Oct 2011 Yes, geese. You only need 15 seconds for this one, though you'll probably replay it. This might not strike your funny bone the way it hit at our house, but…
Journaling… Checking Your Book for the Time 27 Oct 201125 Oct 2011 Art Spiegelman was probably ahead of his time when his publisher produced a CD-ROM of The Complete Maus in the early '90s, and he's still combining media to create and publish…
Blogging… My International Guests 26 Oct 201124 Oct 2011 "If you are writing the clearest, truest words you can find and doing the best you can to understand and communicate, this will shine on paper like its own little…
Entrepreneur… Do You Look like a Writer? 25 Oct 201125 Oct 2011 Naturally, I teach my students to write, but what gets more attention is inspiring them to look employable. Before job fairs and interviews, I've taught men to choose, tie, and…
Blogging… Two Kinds of Writers 24 Oct 2011 There are two kinds of writers: (1) Those who make their own writing their highest (or almost highest) priority. (2) Those who try to finish every other task before they…
Motivation… Friday Flick: The Key to Writing a Great Book 21 Oct 201121 Oct 2011 William Kenower reminds us that the "great books," the ones that change our lives, are not merely works of craft, but of love. He says, “What it takes to write…
