by Jackie Cangro | Writing Craft
If you’ve been hanging around the writers’ water cooler for a bit, there’s no doubt you’ve heard the term “worldbuilding” followed by the names Rowling or Tolkien spoken in hushed, reverential tones. You may have wondered, “What is it? Do I need it? If so, how do I...
by Jackie Cangro | Writing Craft
I’ve always thought screenwriters have it easy when writing descriptions. Creating a vivid setting in a movie is much quicker than on the page. On the screen, a ten-second pan of the camera gives the viewer everything she needs to know. This would take pages and...
by Jackie Cangro | Writing Life
Recently I went hiking at Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island. Mashomack encompasses one-third of the island including woodlands, marshes, ponds, coastline, and grasslands. As pristine as it is, I began my hike with a lot on my mind. My thoughts were spiraling around...
by Jackie Cangro | Writing Craft
Each October, the Van Cortlandt Manor, a few miles north of Manhattan, hosts the Great Pumpkin Blaze. We’ve never been able to get tickets—by the time we got around to thinking about autumn and Halloween, it was always sold out. This year we didn’t leave it to chance....
by Jackie Cangro | Writing Prompts
I used to be afraid of bats. I don’t know why. I’d never found one roosting in my attic or even seen one from afar. Maybe it was because they hang upside down (why?) or skulk about in the dark. Then an article in my alumni magazine began to change my perception of...
