The Internet is buzzing with negative reviews and opinion pieces about the new Top Gun: Maverick. Everything from it being military porn, to promoting nationalism, to being misogynistic, to being too unrealistic to have any merit. There’s also blowback about Tom Cruise’s personal life. Sure his marriages, religious entanglements, and…

And why that’s okay — The Internet is full of writers giving writing advice. Not necessarily because they’re all qualified to give that advice (though some certainly are), but because writing about writing has become its own niche. “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” Man and Superman, George Bernard Shaw There’s the age-old…

I know many people believe the Marvel Universe has been overdone, and I’m inclined to agree as yet another movie releases this summer. However, my family has been doing a Marvel marathon, and with Iron Man fresh on my mind, I’ve been thinking a lot about how Tony Stark’s character…

In the last couple of years during the pandemic, most amusement parks were closed for long periods or changed in ways that made thrill seeking more difficult. But that doesn’t mean we have to miss out on the excitement and terror that comes when amusement parks go wrong and darkness…

There’s nothing that makes a good story like a good villain. There’s nothing that drives a plot or builds great protagonists like a bad guy that we love to hate. Think of your favorite heroes in any book or film, and more than likely, they have an equally awesome antagonist…

And why those striving for greatness should give it a try — One night several years ago, I attended a yoga class I’d been to many times before. Only this time a substitute had replaced the regular teacher. She moved around the room in the darkness, silently correcting body postures and giving encouragement. She seemed calm and constrained — less like she…

Why getting to ‘The End’ is essential, even if your writing never sees the light of day — Lately, I’ve seen a lot of articles encouraging writers not to finish posts they’re not excited about, ditching their crappy NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) novels, and writing only when they feel the joy of it. I agree that sometimes you have to know when to cut your losses and…

And why it will make all the difference in your writing career — In yoga there’s a concept called Beginner’s Mind based on the view that yoga is a “practice” not a destination. We’re always learning, even when we already know the steps and movements. How many times has the average person done a downward dog or child’s pose? Lots. But each time…

Get better in one small way every day — Writing, both as a newbie and as a seasoned author — or anything else in life — is all about finding ways to be just a little better each day. I’m a huge fan of James Clear’s Atomic Habits because he recommends starting at the smallest possible step in order…