Katharine's Writer's Block

I’ve often thought of myself as a better writer than a public speaker, which I’m sure is interesting considering my previous ambitions for teaching. I have a natural tendency to shyness, introversion, and occasional anxiety and/or attention deficiency. If I had to rise to the occasion, I would, but I would just need ample time and preparation first. I’m definitely not alone and you’re not either if you relate. Studies have shown that around seventy-five percent of people hav

I touched on commas in a general lesson about punctuation , but I feel the topic warrants its own lesson for a better focus.  As...

You have an essay project. You’ve decided on a topic, started some research, taken some notes on your findings, and maybe even have a...

I feel a need to apologize...my pantsing ways have caught up with me. I recently realized that, in my previous lesson about plot and...

In 1979, video killed the radio star . The one-hit wonder reflected on the impending shifts in music and music entertainment at the time. Its music video inaugurated the then-new MTV network. I wouldn’t be surprised to find the song among “oldies” playlists one of these days. It is a little dated, but it's still interesting to keep around. Older forms of writing and communication are the same way. While we have MacBooks and Chromebooks, we still have physical, paper notebook

Writers go by many identities: authors, bloggers, journalists, essayists, novelists, poets, critics, playwrights...but a couple less...

Is there a writer in your life? What kind of gifts would be liked by one gifted with an affinity for words? Here are recommendations from...

The 2002 Spider-Man film imprinted a resounding quote on pop culture: “With great power comes great responsibility.” In a similar way with research, with great information comes great responsibility. It is the writer’s job to use their findings wisely, just as Peter Parker was implored to wisely exercise his developing superpowers. The consequences of plagiarism emphasize the need for this as well. But how does one do that? This is Lessons & Advice on the answer: taking not

Have you ever thought about the phrase, “The pen is mightier than the sword”? It implies that the written word can be more effective than...

As established in a previous lesson , fifty thousand words is a general minimum for a novel. Believe it or not, many writing enthusiasts strive to meet that mark within a month during an event called National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo), held every November since 1999. More than just a numeric goal, NaNoWriMo gives interested participants free access to resources that foster community, accountability, and creative development. When a new project is in the works, a new