Writing for Losers: A Diatribe

Opening Gambit
I'm sure there are more than three possible interpretations of the title I've given this post, but here are the ones I've thought of:

1. Writing (is) for Losers.
2. (We are) Writing for Losers
3. (What) Writing (is...) for Losers

I opt for the third interpretation, although the second one does have a bit of charm. There's a good reason I've adopted this frame of mind. I was reading a blog about how to become a better writer, and I think it mentioned something about email chains without the level of disdain I would have expected from a serious writer. I got out fast.

WTF is a Five-Paragraph Essay?

Well, a five-paragraph essay is basically a shibboleth. It separates the sheep from the goats. It's a necessary evil that English teachers (who abhor it) have to teach to break down for the masses what is essentially an unteachable skill. Ever heard of Strunk and White? Ever heard the term je ne sais quoi? The two are related: The Elements of Style (written by William Strunk Jr. and Elwyn Brooks White) is all about je ne sais quoi. I read a bit of that text very recently. I laughed and laughed... It, too, teaches the unteachable, just like the five-paragraph essay.

Ghost Writing Services

How to Beat Writer's Block (or Fast, Furious, and Fearless Writing)

We've all had it: the dreaded writer's block. Or, what might be just as bad for the non-writer--having a situation require you to produce writing and all you see in front of you is a blank Word document. The white page mocks you. It intimidates you. But in reality it's just another monster with a weakness you can exploit to beat it. So how do you overcome it? What's its Achilles heel?

Writer's Block Does Not Exist!

Not in this space, anyway.

But seriously. I had a conversation with a colleague aeons ago when I was completing my honors undergraduate thesis. I claimed I had writer's block and what he said to me changed my professional life.