EDITING BRAIN VS. WRITING BRAIN: WHAT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT WRITING FROM DONALD TRUMP’S COVID CASE
Want to know what you can learn about writing from the top story du jour? Then read on because you’re a writer and you need to find the story in everything.
Why We Like Satire Even When Things Don’t Change
In 1729, A Modest Proposal shocked a staid and stiff England. Readers were immediately repulsed by the anonymous author’s suggestion that people eat children in order to stop children from starving. They rose up and demanded that action be taken to stop the immense poverty sweeping Ireland. Aristocrats and scholars, the primary targets of A Modest Proposal, quickly threw money and workable solutions at the problem. That satire, one of Jonathon Swift’s many masterpieces, produced sweeping changes.
We’ve had a three-hundred-year drought since then.
So why do we keep reading satire?
Book Birthday: A Vote for Jesus Releases Today!
A Vote for Jesus, an old-fashioned political satire that confronts modern politics, releases today. While bookstores unfortunately remained closed due to COVID-19, print and ebooks can be ordered through Amazon, … Continue reading
Cover Reveal: A Vote for Jesus (Political Satire)
A Vote for Jesus, a political satire that savagely attacks our corrupt and ridiculous campaigns, is now available for pre-order.
So, what’s the book about? It’s a satire in the classic sense. Jesus Christ, a poor, unknown carpenter from Bethlehem, PA…
How to Keep Your Story Moving
Would you like to keep your story from getting bogged down?
Famed linguist and literary critic Kenneth Burke once wrote that “Action equals motivation plus momentum.”
It’s a simple and accurate quote about plotting a story as you’ll ever see. And the good news is that it doesn’t just apply to action stories and thrillers, but all fiction writing, no matter what the genre.
Comedy Sayings That Can Improve Any Author’s Writing
Want to know what stand-up comedy can teach you about writing? There are about as many types of comedy as there are genres of literature. Prop comedy. Political comedy. Observations. … Continue reading
Does Your Book Need a Sequel?
Should your book be part of a series or a stand-alone? Creating sequels to books is big business these days. It’s the popular thing and profitable thing to do, spurred … Continue reading
What to Read Wednesday: God Made Us Monsters
Looking for good books for yourself or others? Join me every Wednesday for solid recommendations. God Made Us Monsters by Bill Neary is a seamless blend of historical and religious … Continue reading
The Most Misunderstood Writing Advice: Write What You Know
Write what you know is good advice, if you do it correctly. We’ve all heard it a thousand times: “Write what you know, write what you know…” It’s practically a … Continue reading
Can You Learn More From Fiction Than Nonfiction?
Learning a little something from everything you read. I’ve said it a hundred times if I’ve said it once: “Write what you know, read what you don’t.” Writing what you … Continue reading
John Briggs Books 