Katharine's Writer's Block

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

A study from Stanford University identified the top twenty errors found in undergraduate writing. The number one error is using the...

Lately, I’ve been practicing cooking pancakes. I’ve learned that cooking them on my mini-griddle makes them really thick but not done in the middle. I get the slender size and circular shape that I like when I pour right into the middle of a hot, open skillet, but the batter has to be the right amount and consistency as well--not too little and not too runny. There’s a delicate balance to it. Writing with English vocabulary has a similar delicate balance. One wrong word can c

A cooking hobbyist may read cookbooks to learn new recipes or techniques. In the same way, a writer is suggested to read to improve their...

Throughout history, the act of writing has embraced many tools and mediums. Writers of previous centuries wrote with quill pen and ink. The written word went from preservation on payprus scrolls to the printing press. Writers of previous decades wrote with pencils, ballpoint pens, or typewriters. Even more recently, writers have shifted from using paper to digital forms. For all the evolution in the act of writing, the art of writing still prevails. Spelling, grammar, and eff

I touched on how punctuation is a fundamental ingredient to good writing but I only skimmed the surface of the subject. This lesson is a...

I'm celebrating my first wedding anniversary the weekend of this writing! Inspired by my one-year milestone of married life, I've written...

In my previous lesson , I introduced a recipe for good writing. All that’s needed is a variety of complete sentences expressing common ideas in a logical arrangement, appropriate punctuation, details that paint a clear mental picture, and a generous amount of proofreading. Proofreading is an important thing to do for the success of your written message. Failing to proofread makes it less presentable, like not icing the cake or not cleaning up the mess in the kitchen after y

For my first Lessons & Advice post, I'm reviving some notes from an old lesson I wrote during my time in education. I taught a middle...

Budding writers often look to their published counterparts for advice in the art or business. I know for a fact Terri Blackstock has a section of her website devoted to advice for writers interested in learning from her. Those who know me know I spent my college years aspiring to be an English teacher, though perhaps for the better that profession didn't work out for me. Then I got involved with essay tutoring until COVID affected my opportunities. In lockdowns, I started t