1 min read
Touch the Grass: A Screenwriter's Unexpected Muse
It's common to jest at the admonishment "touch grass," usually a jibe at those seemingly too digitalized.
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1 min read
It's common to jest at the admonishment "touch grass," usually a jibe at those seemingly too digitalized.
READ NOW4 min read
Gen Z, also known as those who came into the world from 1997 to 2012 (stretching to 2015 because, as we'll dive into with their linguistic quirks,...
1 min read
In a world where the certainties are death and taxes, the tradition has been to leave the final words about us to others. Typically, these eulogies...
3 min read
So, you've crafted your story, but it feels like something is amiss. The pacing in the middle might be off, or perhaps the climax isn't as impactful...
3 min read
Social scientists are always studying how different generations interact with society. It’s valuable to consider how certain age groups impact...
3 min read
Dystopian literature enjoyed a surge in popularity a few years ago with series like The Hunger Games. Though the genre witnessed a decline, it's...
5 min read
Thrillers are the masterclass in suspense, tension, and surprises, captivating readers with every page turn. If you aim to craft the next...
3 min read
Bizarro Fiction, a relatively new genre often likened to the cult section in your video store, has been a niche of literary experimentation.
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If you aspire to craft better prose, immerse yourself in poetry.
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Verbal irony, often mistaken, is an element that likely permeates your speech without your conscious awareness.
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In storytelling, the contrast between a character's understanding and that of others, including the audience, is a potent narrative device. This...
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Dinkus. What a word, right? While it may sound close to an insult levied by a particular character on Strangers Things, we're talking about a term...
3 min read
There's an undeniable allure to mastering the art of writing about angst. It's a popular theme, especially among young to middle-aged readers, and it...
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Ah, slipstream fiction. Much like speculative fiction, it lives in that nebulous territory between literary fiction, science fiction, and fantasy....
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As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, it's only natural to ponder the genre's future. However, for many hip-hop artists, the future has always...
2 min read
In writing fiction, or even performance art, it's essential to understand the role of a kick-off event – that opening scene that sets the stage for...
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Okay, so when it comes to storytelling, we've got this thing called a "story beat," and it turns out there are two different flavors to it, each...
4 min read
Every song has a color – and an emotion – attached to it. Researchers have explored the world of music-to-color associations for years. We know that...
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Creative writing has always been a realm of endless possibilities, and sometimes, the most captivating stories sprout from the most unexpected seeds...
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Nope. Not stuffed animals. We're talking about taxonomy.
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Cryptic crosswords are the enigmatic gems of the puzzling world, where words become intricate puzzles waiting to be unraveled. But have you ever...
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In a world increasingly dominated by technology, it's not surprising that artificial intelligence (AI) has found its way into the realm of creative...
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In a world filled with mundane musings and ordinary narratives, there exists a realm of creativity that thrives on the strange, the bizarre, and the...
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Time passes slowly as you find yourself staring at a blank screen. It takes everything within to not bang your head against the keyboard and scream....
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Let's pause and explore the enchanting world of serendipity, where chance encounters and seemingly trivial coincidences lead to extraordinary...
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Deep within the recesses of myth and legend lies a realm where reality and imagination intertwine. In "Whispers of the Labyrinth: Conversations with...
3 min read
In a world where imagination knows no bounds, the concept of altering the very fabric of nature's laws becomes a playground for creativity.
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Human imagination is a powerful tool that allows us to conjure up vivid images, emotions, and sensations. Just as an artist wields a brush to paint...
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Every writer has their own process when crafting a story. Some writers meticulously prepare outlines, mapping out each point they want to hit, while...
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“I’ve got 99 problems, I feel bad for ya son…I’ve 99 problems but my humor ain't one!” As I write those words, all that I can think about is how...
5 min read
You know why you love sitcoms? Writers. Writers make sitcoms worth watching (and the world go round, but that's obviously our biased opinion).
2 min read
Nathan Pyle's "Strange Planet" series of books and comics has taken the world by storm, offering a fresh and innovative perspective on the mundane...
4 min read
It is amazing how your mind works – a prompt comes up and instantly we are transported to a specific place and time. For me, when this subject of...
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Imagination is a wondrous force that has the ability to create entire worlds and characters from the depths of our minds. It's a tool we often...
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Urban legends, those chilling tales whispered in hushed tones around campfires and shared in late-night conversations, have a peculiar way of...
3 min read
Welcome to an Extraterrestrial Expedition of Imagination!
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Metaphors are the spices of language, enriching our communication by infusing it with vivid imagery and underlying meanings.
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Language is a remarkable tool for expressing emotions, yet there are moments when words fall short, failing to capture the nuances of complex...
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At Hire a Writer, we have “Two Things Tuesday.” Every Tuesday, Joy comes up with a prompt that requires all of us to answer two things. I look...
4 min read
Behold, fellow adventurers of the eccentric! Let us embark on a kaleidoscopic escapade into the mesmerizing labyrinth of surrealist storytelling—a...
2 min read
Writing is a canvas for artistic expression, and just as there are countless ways to paint a picture, there are a myriad of writing styles that...
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As professional writers, we often find ourselves seeking inspiration and unique ideas to spark our creativity.
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Poetry is a diverse and expressive art form that has captivated audiences for centuries. From classical sonnets to contemporary free verse, poets...
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Flash fiction is a unique and dynamic form of storytelling that challenges writers to craft compelling narratives in a concise and limited word...
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Symbolism is the art of imbuing objects, characters, or events with deeper meanings beyond their literal representations.
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Humans connect through our emotions–we share our excitement, our happiness, our heartbreak and nostalgia. This is how we bond with our family and...
4 min read
We’ve all got opinions. Some good, some bad, and some we should probably keep to ourselves. Sometimes, our opinions slip out even when we don’t mean...
2 min read
Pick a pun, any pun. If it is witty and leveraged correctly, humor can be a fantastic tool in copywriting. Humor can help you stand out in an...
3 min read
One of the many challenges that writers face is writing to a variety of different audiences and demographics. What appeals to a group of boomers...
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Music and writing share many similarities.
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I am not an angry person. But I love making angry art.
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Who doesn’t love a good pop culture reference? The idea of a single statement transporting you to a specific time and place, generating an emotional...
4 min read
Walls and walls of tennis shoes.
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The use of metaphors came up during a conversation earlier this month, and the topic sparks debate among the copywriting community. There are those...
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Think about the last time you did the research for a potential purchase. Let’s say you needed a new washing machine or vacuum cleaner and were...
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My first copywriting job out of college was an utter disaster. I was hired because I had several neuroscience journal articles published in grad...
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"Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to...
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As a child, I was shy. That’s probably an understatement - I was more of a hermit. My mom couldn’t drop me off at a friend’s birthday party without...
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When I was 19 years old, I was standing in the foyer of my grandmother’s house when my dad called me over. He patted the seat next to him on the...
3 min read
My favorite show in the whole wide world is the Great British Bake Off. Because I geek out over Bake Off, following the bakers is like 90% of my...
2 min read
Just like athletes need to train physically, copywriters train mentally. Being someone who enjoys both physical and mental workouts, I discovered a...
2 min read
Copy wireframes are one of my most frequently used tools as a professional copywriter. If you are writing websites, they are crazy valuable. They...
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The mere mention of literary criticism—or “lit crit” as my high school English teacher insisted on calling it—is enough to shift the average person...
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They say the best writers are readers, and while there are endless learning opportunities to be gleaned from reading novels and poems, there’s no...
3 min read
Usually, when people hear about creative writers, they think of poets and novelists, but there are actually a lot of careers for those who excel in...
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Writers have to be creative on demand. To succeed in this inherently creative profession, it’s important to practice!
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I was a precocious talker, speaking early and often. My incessant ramblings weren’t about anything in particular. Mostly, I just described what I...
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Copy and poetry don’t have a lot in common. In fact, they might be more disparate in purpose than any other two types of writing. While copy...
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If you’re in the business of selling a product or service to an audience, you already know stellar communication is key. From the “about” page on...
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Trying to freshen up your marketing copy? You may want to borrow a few things from poetry. OK, if you’re a professional copywriter, now’s your chance...
3 min read
Sensory writing sparks a reaction, adding bursts of flavor to copy that might otherwise lull readers into a slumber. Sensory language engages the...
4 min read
Certain concepts and sentiments elude linguistic capture. That’s why we have words like “ineffable,”’ “indescribable” and “inexpressible” — to...
4 min read
As writers, our primary charge is to elucidate whatever the topic demands, whether story, concept, process or application. However, clarity is not...