On my second day in Istanbul I ventured out of my neighborhood of Beyoğlu and walked across the Galata Bridge spanning the waterway known as the Golden Horn in order to get to the Asian side of Istanbul and the neighborhood of Sultanahmet. I chose the Galata Bridge as the... read more
This time around in Istanbul I’m staying in the neighborhood of Beyoğlu. It’s on the European side of the city and is considered the “newer” part of town. In the past I’ve stayed in the neighborhood of Sultanahmet on the Asian side of the city. This is the older part of... read more
My entire life I’ve sought new adventures. As a kid I loved exploring my neighborhood. As an adult I love exploring the world. The title image is of my itinerary in Ethiopia next week. Today I’m embarking on a three-and-a half-month trip outside the US. First stop: Istanbul. From there... read more
Just this past week I’ve been gobbling up memoirs. As opposed to autobiographies which chronicle an entire life, memoirs focus in particular on one aspect of a person’s life. Memoirs: Steve Martin Born Standing Up (2007) I love stand-up comedy and just happened on Steve Martin‘s account of his 18 years... read more
Title image: The speedway display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Charlotte, North Carolina. NASCAR stands for: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. This past weekend I went to Charlotte to visit my older son and his family. We’ve all lived in North Carolina a long time, and he... read more
Title image: Old Orange County Courthouse c. 1844, Hillsborough, NC. Over Memorial Day weekend I was invited to a garden party in Hillsborough, NC. Before showing up at the party I decided to do a walking tour of the main part of town. My idea was that you don’t have... read more
First I said a Plot Buddy was a writer’s best friend. Then I added Self-Knowledge. Finally I’m asserting it’s The Subconscious. I’ll now claim these three to be the Writer’s Trinity. Today is the next installment in my Recovering Creativity quest guided by Julia Cameron‘s Vein of Gold. Working with... read more
Oops! I already identified the Plot Buddy as a writer’s best friend. Now I need to enlarge my notion of ‘best friend’ to include self-knowledge. Consider this the second installment in my quest: Recovering Creativity. I reiterate my hope that the account of my quest will inspire you to go... read more
I’m always looking for new authors, and I tend to try a new one every couple days. Even when I don’t know the book I’m reading is the author’s first, I can tell a new writer by a few newbie characterization quirks. Characterization Tip #1: Avoid the First Chapter Mirror... read more
If you’re a writer or any other kind of artist you might like to take a look at Austin Kleon‘s Show Your Work! which addresses the pleasures and perils of creativity in the age of the Internet. One of his suggestions is for writers to share their influences. I regularly share... read more