This week’s word is “xenophobia.” Sadly, it’s a word we’ve seen in the news a lot lately, and it may be useful in your own writing or journaling. Xenophia fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign (from Merriam-Webster) fear or dislike of customs, dress, etc., of people […]
Writer Resources
Word Of The Week: Doldrums
This week’s word is “doldrums.” Even though its meaning is probably familiar, I loved learning about its nautical connection. Doldrums a period of inactivity or stagnation a state of feeling listless or despondent When capitalized, Doldrums refers to a part of the ocean near the equator, known by sailors to have light or shifting winds […]
Faithful Writers Toolkit: January 2019
An encouragement boost for Faithful Writers everywhere. Please share with your writing friends. Reading time: less than 2 minutes. January 26, 2019 Faithful Reflection January is the perfect time to begin again, and I reflected on this theme in my recent January Compass Points newsletter to blog readers. What little ideas keep niggling at […]
Faithful Writers Toolkit: November 2018
Please share with your writing friends. Reading time: less than 3 minutes November 25, 2018 Happy Thanksgiving, my Faithful Writing friends: Faithful Reflection It’s difficult for God to communicate with us if we don’t ever pick up the phone. In this post, I explore “Ten Ways To Talk To God.” One of them is […]
Writers: A Nifty Word Frequency Count Tool
Writing is an important practice for self-examination, expression, and vocation or ministry for many of you, so I plan to start including occasional tips and resources that might improve your confidence and skill as a writer. Here’s a tool to add to your writing toolbox. Writers can overuse “empty words” One of the biggest revelations of using […]
Fun Tool For My Fellow Word Nerds
I see these common mistakes all the time in my editing work — I’m sure I’ve made some of them myself from time to time. Even those of you who don’t call yourselves a professional writer will want to know the correct way to use these in both speech and casual or personal writing. If […]
How I learned to write like James Chartrand*
The writing course that turbo-charged my professional non-fiction writing is being offered again soon. Read about it below and note that registration opens every March and September. But in between, she sends terrific free tips to improve your writing. In the beginning I could write. I was a nuts-and-bolts writer for twenty-five years. I did […]