Essays exploring the craft of writing — structure, clarity, discipline, and the decisions that shape thoughtful work.
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What It Means to Write Slowly
Writing slowly is not the same as writing less. It is not a productivity position — a rejection of output targets or word count goals. It is a…
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The Problem with Writing Advice
Writing advice is everywhere, and most of it is correct. Write every day. Read widely. Cut what you don’t need. Know your audience. Show don’t tell. Find your…
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Writing Without an Audience in Mind
Most writing advice assumes an audience. Define your reader, the advice goes. Know who you are writing for. Understand what they need, what they already know, what they…
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What Finishing a Piece Actually Feels Like
Finishing a piece of writing is not what the productivity literature suggests it will be. The advice — celebrate your wins, acknowledge the achievement, feel proud of what…
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The Writer Who Reads
Reading and writing are discussed as related activities, which they are, but the nature of the relationship is less often examined. The standard advice, read widely, read in…
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The First Draft Problem
The first draft has a problem that most writing advice obscures: it is not a draft of the piece. It is a draft of the thinking. And thinking,…