Not Using the Internet for Research
Julie Andrews may like brown paper packages tied up with strings, but my favorite things in writing run a little different. I'm mostly a self-taught writer. I mean, I learned the basics of grammar, punctuation, and the five-paragraph essay in school, and I took a creative writing class in college, but in reality, most of what I know about writing comes from stuff I've discovered myself. Maybe it's because I discovered my interest in writing later in life? I don't know, I just had to learn it on my own. One consideration is cost. Truth be told, most authors, myself included, don't make a living from their writing. Sure, that's the dream, but it's a long, tough road. The result is that learning this stuff has had to come on a budget. In a legendary moment, I was thinking about writing and stumbled across a book, "You Can Write a Novel," by James V. Smith. It will forever be the best 27-cents I've ever spent. It's a great beginning book. I wo...
