A reader asks: How did you get your start writing? I would love to do some of that, but have no confidence in my ability to express myself in print. I didn’t plan to grow up and become a writer. In my twenties, I did some editing and writing for some small journals....
Working on a second book for John Assaraf, I was doing a little research today on the word “intention,” and discovered a few fascinating points. The word intention literally means “to stretch in a certain direction.” It comes from the Latin tendere, meaning “to...
The other day I was set up to do an interview with Arjuna Ardagh, a most fascinating author and teacher. A few minutes before the time, he called: he had just returned from London, where he’d been to his father’s funeral, and wondered about the possibility of...
As my bio says, I have a passion for great writing, and that passion compels me to share the following essay, which was possibly [see end note] written by a high school student as his college admissions essay for NYU. 3a) ESSAY: In order for the admissions staff of...
The first rule of writing is to use fewer words than you think you need to. I violate this rule every time I put my fingers on the keyboard. (There’s always tomorrow.)
Last month, the day before Thanksgiving, I was pumping gas into my car, or trying to, anyway. After a few tries, the gizmo still wasn’t working. I was annoyed. I turned to step over the hose and head into the station to get an attendant. Suddenly I heard an eerie...
