What I learned about myself from ghostwriting
I never intended to be a ghostwriter, but the job made me a better writer and a better person, …
Can democracy survive the cacophony of the internet?
The chaos and fakery of social media are stress-testing democracy and its most important component, …
Why I am holding on to certain secrets
When we were working on his book more than 15 years ago, Vic Fischer told me some stories that he …
Alaska’s new heroes for press freedom
The resignations last week of four small-town journalists in Alaska made me proud and sad. Proud …
Who profits when AI teaches illiteracy?
AI is accelerating the decline of literacy and impoverishing the English language, but as concerning …
Creation and the erotic spirit
The extraordinary poet Stanley Kunitz wrote that the essence of creativity is the erotic spirit, a …
Why historians are indispensable
An online inflation calculator declares that a dollar in George Washington’s pocket was equivalent …
Almost everyone lies to aspiring writers
Some writers I coach need me to be a teacher, mentor, or therapist. Others are just looking for …
Lying in a memoir is just plain lying
My rule is extreme and increasingly unpopular. I say everything in non-fiction should be true. You …
Is ghost-writing dishonest?
Eyes widen at parties when I tell people I am a ghostwriter, as if I’ve admitted I do something …