Hi friend, Here are two lines for you today: "Start before you’re ready. The page will meet you halfway." and"A single sentence can open a door you didn’t know was there." Writing doesn’t need perfect plans. It just needs presence. Even if you only put one word down, that word might lead you somewhere you didn’t expect. Now, some news. I know in the past I’ve talked about what I wanted to do, but I didn’t always show up. This time, I’m keeping it simple. Next month, I’ll be running a writing...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read
Hello friends, In our latest BuildWriting episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Shreya Suraj—a mathematician turned poet whose everyday experiences fuel powerful, accessible verse. Shreya walked us through her journey from structured rhymes to free‐verse freedom, shared her “Cell Phone or Prison Cell?” poem, and even gave us tips for hosting low‐pressure open mics when the lights flicker off. Here’s what stuck with me: • Spotting poetry in the ordinary changes everything. Shreya treats...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read
Apology and Reflection I stopped. And I’m really, really sorry I didn’t show up consistently for you. Now that I’ve apologized (and hopefully not jinxed myself), here’s what’s been rattling around in my brain: 1. The Definition of Art is Shifting Turns out, creativity isn’t what it used to be. The old rules? Looser. The new rules? Still forming. What we once called "art" has stretched, snapped back, and now includes things that would’ve made past generations squint in confusion. (Looking at...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
Every day, we look around, searching for a secret recipe for something we ought to be doing.We search for the magic sauce to our writing.We wait for a path that is sure to take us to where we want to go with our writing. But there is trouble. We do not know where we want to go.What if there’s nowhere to go? What if all there is to the story is the story itself? That it is your expression. That the world is from you, but a world of its own that speaks to this world.Whatever it is, it is...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
Hi , I’m so glad you’re here. Seriously, it means the world to me that you’ve trusted me with a little corner of your inbox. This newsletter is for you—a fellow writer who, like me, loves weaving words into poetry, short stories, and everything in between. But here’s the deal: I want this to feel like our space. A place where you find inspiration, opportunities, and maybe even that little nudge to keep writing when the blank page feels intimidating. Since I’m just starting out, I’d love to...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
I set myself a challenge: write a poem every day for a week. But why? Because I love writing poetry, yet I struggled with consistency. I needed to create a habit of showing up. You can listen to the podcast episode here 👉 Buildwriting Podcast I Wrote a Poem EVERY DAY for a Week (INSANE Challenge!) The Simple Rules Minimum of 10 lines per poem Write every day by 8 pm No strict structure or theme requirements The Process Each day, I would sit down and write. Some days felt inspired, with the...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
Hey fellow writer I stumbled upon two amazing writing challenges that I just had to share with you! If you’re looking to boost your creativity in 2024, these are perfect for you. 1. 12 Short Stories in 12 MonthsThis challenge is all about writing one short story every month. Whether you’re into thrillers, romance, or fantasy, it’s a great way to stretch your storytelling skills. Plus, you’ll get the chance to share your work and receive feedback from other writers. How cool is that?👉 [Check...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
A Happy New Year to you. I am back All through February I will be working on these Goals. Goals Ten Lines of Poetry Daily Write a Short Story (1,500 to 8,000 words) It would be foolish to think that just setting these goals would make me write. I have to Include these goals into my routine. That is to allocate time for the task. In other words create a system for the goals. When In the evening 8:00 to 8:45 PM What The what is the goal itself. Ten Lines of Poetry Short Story Every Week Why I...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
Stepping away from the meta to focus on the work itself Dear readers, I've been doing a review of this year, and something important has become clear: I've spent more time talking about the work I will do and giving advice on what I'm not doing than actually creating. Talking is cheap. Everybody talks. Anyone can talk. The real challenge—and what matters—is doing the actual work I've been talking about. It's easy to list excuses for why things didn't work out, why I didn't write. But I know...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read