I grew up in a very traditional family. My father was a veteran of WW II and was a blue collar worker. My mom, a new Christian, worked extra hours to put the four of us children through Christian schools. My father had high expectations of me, the only boy, but they were based on … More Sins of the Father
Every good idea I ever had, I stole from someone else. It’s a truism I made up and recited time and time again over the years to student writers. The idea is that every idea is not original, but is a synthesis of what you see and hear and experience every day of your life. … More The Price of Being Honest
I was watching The Late Show with Stephen Colbert the other night when the actor Paul Dano was being interviewed. Stephen Colbert talked about how “intimate” his acting roles tend to be, and it got me thinking about writing (of course). Intimacy. Privacy. Vulnerability. It’s what we all resist sharing, and yet it’s what we … More The Yin and Yang of Storytelling
I’ve always considered myself somewhat of a coward. I’ve always been a big guy–or a big kid. Knowing this, my mother always instructed me to never fight back, to look for solutions other than physical fighting. When I didn’t fight back in school, some of the guys considered me a coward, and I started believing … More Redemption of a Coward
If you go to author Neil Stephenson’s (author of books like Cryptonomicon and Anathem) website, you will get a message that goes something like this: Dear Reader, if you appreciate my books, then I encourage you to leave me alone and let me focus on my work. Thank you. N. Stephenson. Writing is a solitary … More Private Parts
Many people, including my students, don’t know that I was heavy into music for a large part of my life. In high school I was in the elite singing group for my school and did my first solo at the last program of my senior year. In college I began writing music and performing with … More Bring It On!
You know how it goes with brilliant ideas. Sometimes there are…complications. I still think my concept of putting a low-cost e-book on the psychology of writing is a good idea. I think that the fact that I have been writing along those lines for five years in my blog is great. It’s even wonderful that … More A Complication with a Compilation
My son Matt was involved in an auto accident in 2002 that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. Immediately after his accident, his rehab doctor told us that the brain is a black box, and when there’s an injury, there’s no telling what the results will be. He’s doing better now, but at one time … More I’m Looking Through You…Which Isn’t a Bad Thing
The Great Adventure 