“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” ― Toni Morrison
I think it's safe to say this generation of movie-goers and readers are more analytical about their media consumption than ever before. You needn't go far to find blogs, vlogs, reviewing sites and more for detailed critiques of just about any form of story-telling you care to think of. On the one hand, I think… Continue reading No, Your Story Isn’t Original and That’s Okay: A Brief Essay on Originality
Being a writer is- ..spending hours trying to describe how a character walked through a door. ...looking up synonyms for "said" every other sentence. ...typing for 3 hours straight and then deleting everything but one sentence the next day. ...having 10 works in progress you're probably never going to finish. ...imagining yourself discussing your books… Continue reading Being a Writer is…
If anyone were to look up from their dinner plates at me at this moment they would see someone on the verge of taking a plastic spoon from her empty soup bowl and gouging her own eyes out. I'm at a restaurant under the false impression that I am going to be doing some writing… Continue reading That First Damn Line
Okay, so, excuse time. Truth be told, I probably could have updated this blog a long while ago but I didn't want to because I have not been satisfied with the content I'm working on. As of this writing, I currently have five blog posts in my drafts folder and two short stories I want… Continue reading So, I’m Not Dead
Recently I was introduced to a gorgeous poem by the late Charles Bukowski called "so you want to be a writer?" Here's a small exert: if it doesn’t come bursting out of you in spite of everything, don’t do it. unless it comes unasked out of your heart and your mind and your mouth and… Continue reading The Most Beautifully Awful Writing Advice Ever
I'm not going to lie. I had many, many illusions about blogging when I started The Crooked Pen. I thought that, with enough vigor and talent I would be able to flock hundreds of thousands of people to this site. I had seen other blogs similar to this one and I thought I had them… Continue reading How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blog
I never thought procrastination would be so simple, but I found a way. I found a way. I set out working on chapter seven of my story and somehow found myself plunging into the ether of pop culture sludge. For literally no reason at all, I began looking into the Drake and Josh controversy. In… Continue reading How Drake and Josh Are Destroying My Novel
It's been an inexcusably long time since I update this blog, I know. I try to update at least once a week, but this obviously hasn't been happening recently. I have a good reason for this, however...... Okay, not a good reason, but it is a reason nonetheless. You see, I've actually been writing recently.… Continue reading I’m Still Alive and Also Writing Things, or Going on a Writing Bender
Over the years, I've been forced to read many a poem, and, while I can appreciate the effort it takes to compose one, I can't say I'm a huge fan of the art form. However, that doesn't mean that I don't have a favorite poet. During my trip to Scotland last year, I came across… Continue reading Ode to the Worst Poet in the World
Is there anything quite as beautiful as writing the first draft of a story? Every moment is primed with intrigue, wonder, and mystery. You just paint everything on the metaphorical canvass as you see it in your mind's eye. Ideas pour forth from you like a soda fountain filled with Mentos You pat yourself on… Continue reading Editing is the Worst Thing Ever
The Crooked Pen 