Above all else, the real key to writing people with depth is to persevere. Hone your craft by reading widely and becoming a keen observer of people. Write your people into scenes and scenarios you concoct, and let them reveal their character to you. It feels like a lot of work, but that’s what writing is . . .
Tag Archives: Writing Tips
Learning Facts From Fiction
It is, admittedly, ironic to think of absorbing facts from works of fiction. But understanding human nature and our history without consuming the stories we tell would be impossible. So read books. Read difficult books. Read stories that make you uncomfortable, sad, uplifted, angry, triumphant, shocked, devastated, hopeful.
10 Notable Canadian Literary Magazines
If you’re a Canadian writer looking for a home for your work that’s a little more close to home, look no further. This is far from a comprehensive list, but what follows are ten quality literary publications that are based in Canada (with one exception).
What Makes a Poem a Poem?
Poetry is a term that rebuffs all definition. It is a form of literature too multifaceted, too abstract to neatly define.
How to Recharge Your Creativity
The whole point is to remind yourself that you enjoy writing. If you’re feeling uninspired, don’t focus on churning out words. Focus on finding joy in the act of writing, and soon the words will flow. Let go of the self-imposed pressure and give yourself the time to recharge.
Can “Write What You Know” Be Taken Too Far?
If you are a writer yourself, at some point you will have come across the advice: “Write what you know.” When we’re fledgling writers we tend to take that advice far too literally.
What’s Important to You?
It’s about priorities. Make a conscious decision to spend your time on what is important to you.
In Which Cake Becomes a Metaphor
A cake where the beauty is in the cake itself, exposed and unabashed, adorned by only the most carefully chosen elements that add to, rather than superseding, its flavour and appeal.
Aly Writes 