‘A voice of one’s own’

Working in journalism, I’ve learned a lot about writing in the “objective” style of the news. I’ve gotten pretty good at removing myself from stories. So good, in fact, that when I returned to fiction after a long hiatus, I couldn’t remember my own voice, my style. Here’s a nice piece, via Ryan Lanz, that I wish had been around a few years ago.

Finding Your Writing Voice | A Writer’s Path.
http://ryanlanz.com/2015/05/25/finding-your-writing-voice/

Alone

Imagine being so isolated, you see no humans outside your family for 40 years. What would your life be like? This Smithsonian Magazine article tells a true story of such isolation. What an interesting premise for a piece of fiction. I can already imagine day-to-day interactions.

For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II | History | Smithsonian.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/for-40-years-this-russian-family-was-cut-off-from-all-human-contact-unaware-of-world-war-ii-7354256/

Pack up

Last year, before I went to Italy, I spent a lot of time looking for the best travel writing tips. But I had forgotten that merely traveling is a way to improve one’s writing. This sensationally-headlined blog post (super-sexy?) does offer several good reasons for getting away. And now I have a couple of trips I need to plan.

The Simple, Super-Sexy, Science-Backed Way to Improve Your Writing Skills.
http://writetodone.com/improve-your-writing-skills/