Writing Character Sketches the Modern Way

I’ve discovered a new way to really get to know a character: write their Facebook profile. Start with the basics: their job, where they went to school, what languages they speak, where they’re from and when they were born. Then you can move on to their philosophy, the...

20 great similes

20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You Similes, metaphors, and analogies are turns of phrase that help readers conjure images in a narrative, whether in fiction or nonfiction, but it is in the latter form that they bloom more profusely. And what’s the...

Creativity and play

Does playfulness spur creativity? Ethologist Sir Patrick Bateson of the University of Cambridge wants to know why playfulness is so connected to creativity in the realms of science, music, and business. Working with behavioral biologist Daniel Nettle, he asked over...

My HuffPo: Help for Those Who Lost More Than Hope

Please read my latest article on Huffington Post: A Brave Face – Victims Disfigured by Domestic Violence Can Get Life-Changing Help Audrey Mabrey’s ex-husband hit her on the head with a hammer and set her on fire. After multiple surgeries, she has become an advocate...