The historian tells you what happened.
The novelist will tell you what it felt like.
-E.L. Doctorow
Across oceans and centuries, my novels follow characters changed by events as drastic as a plague or as small as a thought. I love history, especially those periods, like the sixteenth century, that changed man’s entire way of thinking.
My stories are important, but so are yours. I founded the Village Writing School to teach people how to write their stories in the most engaging way. When I’m speaking at a conference on the power of words or teaching a workshop on subtext, I’m thinking how important some of the stories in that audience may be.
Beyond writing and teaching, I try to be a good person because the greatest act of creation is to fashion a beautiful life.
Ingredients for a Meaningful Life
How can we lead a meaningful life? What should we do when life seems meaningless? These questions have occupied the world’s greatest thinkers since before recorded history. What can I possibly say about them? Well, I can tell you about a book I just read entitled: The...
Thoughts on the “Process”
I am thinking a lot about “process.” Not just the process of writing, but the process of accomplishing anything worthwhile that we dream of doing, whether it is our creative work, our business goals, or improving our health and our relationships. How do we craft a...
A Different Way to Set Goals for 2019
I’m tired of myself. At this time of year, when I’m usually so disgustingly perky and optimistic, I’m lethargic and cynical. It’s as if someone pulled out my spark plug. I feel like a mule plowing the same row year after year. My goals are always the same. Finish...