Have you ever wondered why some people write easily and fluently, while others struggle and strain as if trying to squeeze a 185-lb body into a size six pair of jeans? In 30 years at this trade, I've noticed that effective writers tend to share seven traits. So, with apologies to Stephen Covey, here is my list.

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Confusing Words "is a collection of 3210 words that are troublesome to writers and readers." Hmm, that's a lot of words. Click here to untangle the one that's troubling you!

These sites offer a smorgasbord (love that word) of writing tips, advice and inspiration. So grab your dinner plate and dig in!

Handbook of Rhetorical Devices

Creative Writing Prompts

Writing Time

40+ Tips to Improve Your Grammar and Punctuation

We occasionally ask writers about books they've read that have inspired and informed their own work. This week, we contacted novelist Katharine Weber, author most recently of the award-winning Triangle. She graciously sent us these picks:

Krazy & Ignatz: The Kat Who Walked in Beauty by George Herriman. "The early years of Krazy and Ignatz and their complex relationship as shown in the first daily strips, in the years before Offissa Pup arrived to enforce the law. Think of Krazy as Ego, Ignatz as Id, and Offissa Pup as the Super Ego -- or just enjoy this incredibly beautiful volume as an introduction to the fantastically intriguing world of Krazy Kat."

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We're proud to announce the redesign of the Visual Thesaurus web site. Starting this week, you'll see new and exciting improvements to the Visual Thesaurus Online. What's new? We've added auto-complete so you can look up words faster. We've introduced brand-new, high-quality audio pronunciations. We've made the Visual Thesaurus magazine easier to read and navigate. And much, much more...  Continue reading...

Although Hamlet's "to be or not to be" question is probably the most recognizable in the English language, few students understand its full meaning in the context of Hamlet's situation. In this lesson, students are asked to recite, analyze and then adapt this famous monologue with the aid of the Visual Thesaurus.  Continue reading...

I was at home in New York City on the morning of 9/11, when United Airlines Flight 175 and American Airlines Flight 11 smashed into the World Trade Center. I was shocked and furious. A couple days later I visited the still-burning hulk with my Newsweek editor. The devastation was appalling. I began to write. The first article was about Israeli counter-terror experts. The next concerned cyber-terror. For another magazine, I wrote about an FBI special agent and SWAT operator working counter-terror at DFW airport and an F-15C pilot who flew her fighter jet in Iraq during the American invasion.  Continue reading...