by AnnSheybani | Mar 21, 2016 | Writing, writing lessons
I’m going to walk you through my story writing process, and model it for you. I’ll explain how I come up with an idea for a story, then how I construct the thing. I’ll be composing a scene for my memoir, but you’ll want to follow along even if you’re writing a case... by AnnSheybani | Mar 14, 2016 | Life, Reading
The last time I came back to the States for vacation while living in Iran, I got together with some old friends and regaled them with my latest in-law stories. I recounted the one about my mother-in-law, who, when staying with us in our tiny dorm room for months on... by AnnSheybani | Mar 7, 2016 | Writing, writing lessons
The first time his owner spotted him, a gang of young kids was tossing him back and forth like a football. She’d shouted at them to stop abusing the puppy, but they’d ignored the tiny, white-haired American lady. A week went by. She saw the puppy again. This time, one... by AnnSheybani | Feb 26, 2016 | Life
Walt and I have been spent the last week lying around poolside. (BTW, I have to look up laying vs lying every goddamn time. Here’s a link that explains the difference, for your convenience.) On the surface, this sounds pretty dreamy, but after a few days of... by AnnSheybani | Feb 26, 2016 | Writing, writing lessons
Once upon a time, Walt and I were out for a morning run. It so happens that our running route takes us past a river. Because it was springtime, we began to spot signs of heightened animal activity. The beavers in particular had been very busy. We trotted past a very...