To brilliant effect...

Some thoughts on journal writing, story structure and the value of eliminating the familiar.

Eight great things worth sharing this week:

1. As an avid journal keeper, I loved this article from The Cut about how mindfulness practice helped one writer finally get some words on the page.

2. Story structure. It seems writers either love it or they hate it. Personally, I’m not taking sides, but I did recently come across this LitHub article celebrating 11 Novels that Thwart Traditional Story Structure (to Brilliant Effect). Good defensive fodder for the pantsers out there.

3. Nerd Word of the Week: Derisory ~ ridiculously small or inadequate. As in: His derisory contributions to the project were easily overlooked.

4. If you’re planning a vacation this summer, check out this piece I wrote about a quick little exercise you can use to keep your creative skills sharp while you’re traveling.

5. This article about the Einstellung effect is the best argument I’ve heard against the old “First Idea, Best Idea” mode of story telling. It’s our jobs as writers to dig deeper.

6. "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that." - Stephen King. Amen. And since we’re all readers here - let’s be fiends on GoodReads.com

7. Today is Ball Point Pen Day and I will not be celebrating. I effing hate ball point pens. It’s one of the few things I’m really picky about. I mean, a crappy pen that dries out in two days and ends up in landfill forever? Pass.

8. In case you haven’t heard, I lead an online writing group every weekday at 9:30am PST. Everyone is welcome.

Happy writing, my friends,

April Dávila