Tag Archives: tips for writers

Seven Tips for Writers

Posted on November 9, 2023 by mitchteemley

Hey, remember that scene where the alien bursts out of the guy’s chest?  “If a story is in you, it has to come out.”  ~William Faulkner Write without restraint! And then…restrain, restrain, restrain. “Write drunk, edit sober.”  ~Ernest Hemingway You can’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 53 Comments

Tips for Writers: Read Together

Posted on September 28, 2023 by mitchteemley

Photos by cottonbro studios “Reading makes immigrants of us all. It takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere.” ~Jean Rhys Perhaps the most universal piece of advice for writers is, “Read, read, read!” … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Humor, Quips and Quotes, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 29 Comments

Tips for Writers: Subconscious Mannerisms

Posted on August 24, 2023 by mitchteemley

My high school drama teacher had a quirky habit: first he’d pull on his nose, and then he’d push on it. One day, in the midst of a discussion about mannerisms, he told us where this habit came from: As … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 34 Comments

Tips for Writers: Making Gradual Miracles

Posted on June 1, 2023 by mitchteemley

Cloudzilla! A sign from God? “The only kind of writing is rewriting.” ~Ernest Hemingway Five years ago, I got the good news that, after a one year delay, my comedy monster movie Notzilla had been greenlighted (received financing)! The not-so-good … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

Tips for Writers: Learn to Love the Burn

Posted on May 18, 2023 by mitchteemley

The key to building muscles, oddly enough, is to regularly and repeatedly expose yourself to pain. Not too much, not too little. Too much—torn muscles, tendonitis, bone spurs—is bad news. Too little is no news at all. Muscles grow when … Continue reading →

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Tips for Writers: Write What You Know?

Posted on April 27, 2023 by mitchteemley

A successful writer friend once went tiradical on me when I mentioned the literary admonition, “Write what you know.” “I hate that!” she shouted. “Why?” “It restricts you! What if you want to write about something you’ve never experienced?” Interestingly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 49 Comments

Tips for Writers: Trust the Story

Posted on September 29, 2022 by mitchteemley

Experience is the most effective teacher (I learned more Spanish in three days in Barcelona than I did in two years of high school Spanish class). But one of the most interesting things about the human psyche is that we’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Tips for Writers: Use an Irony Board

Posted on September 15, 2022 by mitchteemley

When creating a storyline, don’t just pull things out of the soiled ideas pile. Dig through it for something fresh. Inhale. Do they smell like something one of your characters would actually wear (think/do)? Good, but still not fresh enough. … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Tips for Writing: Become a Brain Archaeologist

Posted on July 28, 2022 by mitchteemley

Photo by Dương Nhân Memoirs! I still write fiction, essays, and screenplays. But I take particular pleasure in composing the My Real Memoir posts I hope one day to publish in book form. These have been gratifyingly received by blogger … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 48 Comments

Two Years of Writing Tips!

Posted on June 8, 2022 by mitchteemley

I’m up to my proverbial eyeballs in projects once again – the chiefest of which is my daughter’s wedding (which I’m officiating, btw)! Hence, I’ll be on hiatus for a week or so. Therefore, this is the perfect time for … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments