When writers ask me how they can improve their writing skills I always ask them about their reading. They often look at me somewhat deflated – ‘Did she not hear what I was asking?’ I can see them wondering. But, truly, emulating the work of other writers is the best way to improve your own writing. When I read, I’m always looking for great sentences. And when I find them, I write them down. (I’ve learned to do this immediately, usually by entering them into my iPhone.) Each week, I share one with you, providing the sentence, the author and my description of why I figure the sentence worked so well.
Word count: 462 words Reading time: Less than 2 minutes A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from Joan Acocella in the New Yorker. I read the New […]
Women seemed stupid…. Read More »
Word count: 204 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from Nicole Bokat. I have family members who suffer from clinical
I curled myself into a snail-shape… Read More »
Word count: 286 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s writing comes from Susan Silk and Barry Goldman. Today, I’m going to
Do you worry ever about saying the wrong thing? Read More »
Word count: 295 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from Susan Orlean. I’ve been a Susan Orlean fan for years.
Pining at a closer proximity… Read More »
Word count: 319 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from Sam Anderson, who writes about Anne Carson. I had never
Neither “novel” nor “verse” quite seems to apply… Read More »
Word count: 287 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from Jonah Lehrer. I know. It’s not de rigueur to like
The world is full of natural outsiders… Read More »
Word count: 377 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from Erin Morgenstern. I heard about the book The Night Circus when
A cage of black silk Read More »
Word count: 254 words Reading time: About 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from American novelist Jennifer Egan. As soon as I heard the name
The scramble of her heartbeat… Read More »
Word count: 234 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from Alice Munro. If I could write like anyone, anyone, I’d
A dismal sort of longing… Read More »
Word count: 289 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from Rebecca Mead via The New Yorker. I’m a big believer
The lighting was persuasively unflattering… Read More »
