Category Archives: Writing and Blogging

Thoughts and tips for writers.

Why I (Have to) Tell Stories

If I was a greeting card, I’d be illustrated, and have one of those little built-in music tracks too. I honestly can’t remember a time I wasn’t captivated by words, pictures and music. Or by wanting to create them for … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment and Popular Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Movies, Music and Videos, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , | 53 Comments

Two Touching Father’s Day Monologues

Father’s Day is Coming! Pastors, teachers, and drama groups: These two Father’s Day monologues of mine have been performed throughout North America, as well as other countries. And both are now available from my script publisher SkitGuys.com for you to … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Religion and Faith, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

So, It Turns Out I Really Am a Novelist

When I was a kid I wanted to be everything. I practiced tight rope walking on the chain-link fence behind my buddy Jeff’s house in preparation to join the circus. Explored the city sewers, preparing to become a world-class archeologist. … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Movies, Music and Videos, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , | 76 Comments

Edit, Edit, Edit…and Then Edit Again

Some things never change: I’m currently working on the “final final” draft of my book. It’s all strictly scientific: First, I remove sequences. Then I put them back in. Then I remove them again. Then I move paragraphs, put them … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 95 Comments

Procrastination: A Nation of Procrastinators

Well, it’s Wednesday. Guess I’d better get started on that project I was gonna finish “by Monday at the latest.” “You can’t just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood. What mood is … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 51 Comments

Hey, It’s WordPress’s World…

…I’m Just Re-Learning How to Live in It Last year, all at once, after ten years of non-stop growth, and despite ongoing new subscriptions, my total subscriber numbers began plummeting. More importantly, visits to my blog site plunged over 35%. … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 100 Comments

Sometimes the Teacher Becomes the Student

Thought for the Week This is a true story. I tutored writing students at a community college, and a suburban pop culture drone had just asked why she should “do punctuation.” “Because it’s the only thing that separates us from … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , | 86 Comments

When the Truth is Suddenly Exposed!

I could wish this wasn’t a true story. But it is. A high school friend and I argued constantly. We had Gym class together, and one day we argued all the way to the showers and back to our lockers. … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 55 Comments

How to Get a RISE Out of Your Readers

How to be Funny Whether you’re a writer, teacher, politician or mortician, this three-part series will help you be wittier. In the previous post, we learned that a funny story begins with a crisis. Now we’ll talk about how to build … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

How to be Funny: Using the DRIP Method

How to be Funny Whether you’re a writer, teacher, politician or mortician, this three-part series will help you be wittier. In the previous post, I talked about the why of being funny. Now let’s look at the how. First and foremost, … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Quips and Quotes, Writing and Blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments