Michael Ehret, WritingOnTheFineLine
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Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, is one of my favorite books. An exchange between Alice and the Cheshire Cat perfectly illustrates the importance of goal setting. Alice asks: “Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?” The cat replies, “That depends a good deal on where you want to…
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“You’re only given a little spark of madness, you mustn’t lose it.” – Robin Williams, Academy Award-winning actor (Best Supporting Actor, Good Will Hunting, 1997) and multiple Grammy-winning performer Regardless what you think of Robin Williams’ body of work (I think it is mostly hilarious), it can’t be argued that he ever lost his “spark…
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For Christmas, I love making sugar cookies with cookie cutters. It’s fun to slather colored powdered-sugar frosting for that extra layer of sweetness over those recognizable holiday shapes. Even though frosted differently, those cookies all look the same. There’s not a lot of difference between my cookies and the ones my kids create. And they…
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I’m somewhat of a revision monkey. I love sculpting words! Which likely explains why I prefer editing to writing. So, I’m revising—again—and that means I’m reading through James Scott Bell’s excellent Revision & Self-editing—again. This is not a commercial, this is a strongly held opinion: If you don’t own this book you may not be…
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“Every hour you spend writing is an hour you don’t spend worrying about your writing.” –James Scott Bell, at the 2009 Christian Writers Seminar, as quoted by Beth Thompson here. Bell is the No. 1 bestselling author of Plot & Structure, and thrillers like Deceived, Try Dying, and One More Lie. Under the pen name…
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This may seem counter-intuitive, but here it is: You can improve your writing by taking time off to not write. Those of you who are jumping up and down right now because you think you’ve just found a new excuse for your lack of writing this week, this month, this year—“Hey! I’m on a writing…
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“I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately, I am inspired at 9 o’clock every morning.” — William Faulkner, (September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American writer, Nobel Prize laureate, and Pulitzer Prize winning author. Such a key principle it hardly needs unpacking. Yet, finding and holding on to that kind of…
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A couple of days ago, I reviewed Peter Leavell’s novel Gideon’s Call (Worthy Publishing). See that review. Today, over on Novel Rocket, I talk with Peter about his love for history and how it impacted not only the way he wrote the book, but also his relationship with his family. Come and visit me there–and…
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“Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” Barbara Kingsolver, an American novelist, essayist, and poet. Author of The Poisonwood Bible and The Lacuna, among others. This strikes me as truth, for writers.…
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The Web is full of admonitions to stretch before working out or engaging in any kind of exercise. Why? The plusses are many: Stretching helps prevent injuries. It keeps your muscles in good working order. Tight muscles are less capable. It just makes you feel good. Plus, if you stretch first you’re less likely to…
Writing On The Fine Line 