Writer's Toolbox

Screen Scream

Dear Geist,I spent an hour making a video presentation, but head office sent it back with the title underscored, meaning there is an error in the copy, which reads: “Welcome to our newly-launched program!” What in the world is wrong with it?!?!?

Pandemic Book Boom

Dear Geist, Is it true that Canadian and American publishers enjoyed high sales of books during the early months of the pandemic in the spring of 2020? I read that book publishing companies were shutting down!

Natural Writer

Dear Geist, Is there any such thing as a natural writer?

Me, Myself and I

Dear Geist, Why does my agent nag me about stuff like table manners and a swear word here and there when we do an event? Is there a polite way to tell an agent to back off?

Pre-starting Panic

Dear Geist, I have the single best idea for a screenplay that I've ever had, and I can hardly breathe. It took me all day just to write this note to you, so so how will I ever start actually writing???

Real Time

Dear Geist, Do you have any examples of written passages dealing with remote but real time? Nothing too esoteric, but not quite, you know, earthly? Two of us are grappling with this little move but we haven’t found the right tone.

Soft-boiled

Dear Geist, What exactly is an eggcorn? I saw one online and went through a whole bunch of them and some websites and they all seemed to be playing with my head. Not the best way to greet a fellow writer.

Speaking Up

Dear Geist, Should I be sharpening the knife more deliberately as I hone the short stories I’ve self-published and sold?

Message in a Book

Dear Geist, Do you know who wrote this sentence: “Writing is not just getting things down on paper, it is getting things inside someone else’s head”? I really want to know how to do that!

Keeping it Simple

Dear Geist, If Americans and Canadians have been trying to streamline and simplify theactual English language forever, why don’t we have more simple words?

Digging in

Dear Geist,Can you suggest a good solid book on writing that would help me unearth the material that I’m pretty sure is deep deep down?

Staggered

Dear Geist,To get right to the point, what are staggers and jags?

Sweet and Sour

Dear Geist,Where do you stand on italicizing some food items (shawarma; al pastor; pollo asado; birria; carnitas; etc.)?

Dead serious

Dear Geist,What is the difference between autopsy and postmortem?

Chicken Tracks

Dear Geist,How can a writer know when the erasures and crossings-out are mostly spinning wheels and little actual writing?

Brain tweak

Dear Geist,Can you point my writing pal and me to some interesting writing exercises?