In 1988, on mess duty aboard a Navy destroyer, a sailor named Davis taught me the sentence I still reach for whenever life stops making sense.

I waited years to start the things I cared about most, until two of the most productive people I know taught me to get it done first and make it good later.

Most people who say they want to write blame time. I think it's fear—and three things nobody explains until you've spent years figuring them out yourself.

Two decades of notebooks produced a novel, magazine pieces, and most of my better decisions. Here’s why I still write by hand almost every morning, and how to start.

A great actor can transform a bit part into something amazing and memorable. That is why the acting great Stanislavsky said, “There are no small roles, only small actors.” The quote stood out for me in a passage when I recently read…

My friend, David Horne, occasionally writes a “Movie Lessons” segment for his blog. I love these and constantly nag him to write them more often. So, while I wait for…

I have a secret to share: I’ve been leading a double life. For many readers of this blog, I’m Christopher Laney, writer. But there’s another side to me…

Several years ago I drove to a friend’s mountain cabin near West Jefferson for ten days to get my novel jump-started. I’d dabbled…

In May 2009, I left a high-paying job to write a novel, and I’ve never regretted it one bit. Navigating the traditional publishing route—versus self-publishing—takes vast patience, but…

My music collection is eclectic. If there is one thing in life I strive to be, it’s well-rounded—of the mind that is, not the body. My favorite artist in that collection is…

Where Summer School began: writing a novel shook loose old memories, and four of them turned out to be lessons.

Some of you may have noticed a lag between posts recently, which may imply I’m not writing as much. Au contraire. Last week I wrote at least six hours a day, sometimes seven and eight. What am I spending so much time writing if not…