Need help thinking of what to write? Here are some scenarios to get you going: What if… …you woke up and found that you’d been transformed into a platypus overnight? How would you cope with your every day routine? How would you explain what happened to you to your loved ones? Which aspects of your…
In Defense of Noncommittal Planning
Many of my writer friends are extreme planners. Just the thought of starting anything without at least an inkling of where it’s will eventually lead is out of the question. On the other hand, I have other writer friends who relish the ambiguity of starting something, without knowing what will come of it. Personally, I…
Second Drafts: Twice as Drafty
Recently, I met up with an old friend from high school, whom I hadn’t seen in nine years. Chatting over crepes, we caught up on all the expected subjects, from family to mutual friends, before the topic shifted to writing. My friend, it turns out, is a monstrously productive writer. Since I last saw her,…
Slaying the Beast
About once a year I say to myself, “Lara, it’s about time you started a blog.” After being struck by this thunderbolt of (probably) divine inspiration, I then proceed to bang out a long “first post” filled with residual teenage angst. I commit wholeheartedly to it, saying I will update it once a week without…
