The Inquisitive Inkpot
Exploring Tales and the Art of Telling
Tag: inspiration
Overcoming the Research Roadblock
Research can either make or break a story, so we writers have to get it right. Time periods, cultures, social/government systems, technology—anything in your story that ranges beyond your area of expertise is going to require some intensive research. I learned this the hard… Continue Reading “Overcoming the Research Roadblock”
A Blogging Milestone: the 100th Post
Two years ago, the term “blogging milestone” seemed ridiculous—even pretentious. The last blogging milestone I made a post about was the 30th one, in February of 2020, which was more like an announcement of The Inquisitive Inkpot’s identity shift. I don’t think even after… Continue Reading “A Blogging Milestone: the 100th Post”
Remembering on Memorial Day
Last Memorial Day gave me an experience I will never forget. It all began with a story I had recorded prior to Memorial Day for the national radio program Our American Stories. The piece featured my boss, an ex-marine, telling the incredible story of… Continue Reading “Remembering on Memorial Day”
Finding your Focus
Focus is something many of us lack. There’s plenty of kinds of focus. Focus in the sense of your actual attention span, focus in your work ethic, focus in your monetary investments, and focus in where you direct your free time. We live in… Continue Reading “Finding your Focus”
The Writer’s Creative Conscience: staying Accountable
Every writer has a creative conscience. By “creative conscience,” I don’t mean a moral compass that dictates what we do and don’t create. I mean a still, small voice that haunts us when we aren’t creating and hounds us for not achieving milestones. The… Continue Reading “The Writer’s Creative Conscience: staying Accountable”
Career Advice that Transformed my Thinking
Writers need career advice too. The problem is that there are too many sources out there that trumpet the same theory—regardless of how many times that theory fails. How many of us have heard career advice that goes like this? “Follow your passion and… Continue Reading “Career Advice that Transformed my Thinking”
An Upcoming Illustrator Interview!
It is my pleasure to announce an upcoming illustrator interview with my very own illustrator, Lauren Fisher. Lauren was the mind behind the memorable drawings in The Misadventures of Melvin the Missing Sock, and she will fill the same role in my next children’s… Continue Reading “An Upcoming Illustrator Interview!”
Empowering a Young Author
It’s not every day an author contacts you asking you to write a commentary for the inside of their book. It’s even less frequent that the author is sixteen. Well, I have the privilege of introducing to you a young author whose book is… Continue Reading “Empowering a Young Author”
YouTube and Inkpots: what they have in common
Starting a YouTube channel can be one of the most motivating or deflating experiences in a writer’s career. Just like writing your first couple of blog posts and waiting for things to happen, you can post your first YouTube video and then… why doesn’t… Continue Reading “YouTube and Inkpots: what they have in common”
Developing New Skills and Defeating Demons
Before developing new skills this year, it’s helpful to take stock of your existing inventory. Basically, before moving forward, you need to know where you are now. Taking a personal inventory is helpful for more than just skill development. Examining our minds and hearts… Continue Reading “Developing New Skills and Defeating Demons”
