There comes a time when writers will inevitably ask THE question: Why choose a writing life? I've no idea, and I'm not alone. No less a giant in the literary world than George Orwell himself once said: “All writers are vain, selfish and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives lies a mystery." … Continue reading Reasons why writers write? Same as why not everyone’s suited to a writing life
“Three Wrongs Do Not An Essay Make” – How one memory derailed my writing plan
An editor approached me a couple of months back, asking if I would share with her readers my journey as a dad with a special needs child; in particular the period following my son's official ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) diagnosis. My first thought was: "Ok, sure. That diagnosis happened more than two years ago so … Continue reading “Three Wrongs Do Not An Essay Make” – How one memory derailed my writing plan
As writers, we must fight Resistance every day
Alright. This is me keeping a promise I made. I'm going to talk about every writer's mortal enemy: The "Resistance". First coined by Steven Pressfield, the Resistance is the collective term for everything that gets in the way of the creative process. It's what every creative person in every creative endeavour endures as a result … Continue reading As writers, we must fight Resistance every day
ASD Book Review #2 – How To Be Autistic
In July 2019, I started what was supposed to be a regular series to review books written about ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), a topic close to my heart. That July post also included useful information I put together about different categories of autism books (you can check it out here). Since then, life kinda got in … Continue reading ASD Book Review #2 – How To Be Autistic
Is it “Life AFTER Work” or “Life WITHOUT Work?”
One day, two weeks ago, I was driving my wife to her workplace when I saw an ad on a huge billboard beside the expressway. [Our country's not big on billboards so when there's one, it's really hard to miss] It nearly made me veer off into the highway railings! Somehow, this one looked exceptionally … Continue reading Is it “Life AFTER Work” or “Life WITHOUT Work?”
What car rides with Caleb taught me about autism and attention
Living with my son's autism from day to day teaches me many things - provided I bother to pay attention. Provided I bother to learn. Sadly, I don't. Not enough anyway. For me, arguably the greatest hurdle parenting him all these years, has been to try and come to terms with his fixations. How to … Continue reading What car rides with Caleb taught me about autism and attention
So I started a writer’s group. Now what?!
Yes, I did the unthinkable - I started a writer's group! Call it an itch that needed scratching. A thirst that needed quenching. But whatever you call it, just know that I'm pinning the blame for it solely on Covid-19. Or on the lonely journey of every writer. Or on a whim and a lark … Continue reading So I started a writer’s group. Now what?!
What my firstborn’s grammar and schoolwork taught his dad
I scolded my eldest boy recently over his schoolwork. And in doing so, I realized I had to bear some responsibility for what happened too. The scolding took place shortly after I found out he tried to hide the results of a recent grammar school homework from me. What he did was to show it … Continue reading What my firstborn’s grammar and schoolwork taught his dad
Of Chips, Remote & Writer’s Pause – The Reluctance of Rewrite
I’ll be perfectly honest: I have writer’s pause. Wait, you say. Don’t you mean writer’s block? Nope. Apparently there is no such thing as writer's block. At least not according to Marion, my writing coach. You can read her take on it here. There is, though, a reluctance to rewrite. At least for me. So, rather … Continue reading Of Chips, Remote & Writer’s Pause – The Reluctance of Rewrite
To a child, LOVE’s not only spelled “T-I-M-E”; it’s also spelled….
As parents, we've all heard this adage more times than we care to count: For kids, LOVE is spelled T-I-M-E. Cos spending time with them is the best sign that we the parents care and love them. Many have even gone on to qualify that it's not just about Quality time; it's also about Quantity … Continue reading To a child, LOVE’s not only spelled “T-I-M-E”; it’s also spelled….
