+ The Ultimate Guide to Writing Fail-Proof Articles — So you want to be a Brilliant Writer. You’ve come to the right place. I’ve created and curated and collected some incredible resources for aspiring writers like you, including: Articles on Writing, Learning, and other life lessons 2. Detailed notes on top-recommended books, monthly reading lists & annual book summaries…

Curated reading recommendations for Brilliant Writers — “You don’t have to play masculine to be a strong woman.” — Mary Elizabeth Winstead “Wars do not make men great, but they do bring out the greatness in good men,” said Major Dick Winters. I would argue that the same can be said for great women, in real life…

May 2022 TBR Reading Wrap-Up — Since I discovered the wonder of listening to audiobooks while doing art, I’ve been able to get back into “reading” fiction a lot more than usual. Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t still read nonfiction. In this month’s set of featured books, I cover three memoirs — by a…

Friday Q&A — Have a question for the Scylighter? Email your Q’s to: sarah@beabrilliantwriter.com Q: It seems like everything and everyone’s getting more polarized lately, and there are a lot of weirdos running around who are just wrong about stuff. How do I, as a writer, change their minds? A mind is one…

(A sneaky way to overcome overwhelm) — Here’s a potentially life-changing line that I heard recently from a speaker who had been an alcoholic. As she was getting help, someone told her: “Any day you don’t drink is a good day.” In other words, even if everything else goes badly, as long as she did that ONE…

On Dec 28, 1978, United Airlines Flight 173 crash landed in a suburb. The reason? While preparing for landing, the pilot noticed that the landing gear indicator light did not turn on. …

Your High School Physics class WASN’T a total waste, after all — here’s why ;) — This shorticle is proof that anything you learn in school, even stuff you “don’t use in daily life” can be useful to you as a writer. For example: I’m not a physicist or engineer, but the high school physics concept of velocity is a fantastic metaphor for self-encouragement. How? Here’s…

Have you ever heard the catchphrase, “facts don’t care about your feelings?” It’s true, when we’re talking about the objective world. After all, 2+2 = 4, no matter how you feel about it. Even if you hate the number 4* and want the answer to be 5, even if you…

“Preach not because you have to say something, but because you have something to say.” — Richard Whately — Have a question for the Scylighter? Email your Q’s to: sarah@beabrilliantwriter.com Today’s question: “How do I write what I believe without coming off as ‘preachy’?” Answer: Preachiness is one of the tell-tale signs of poor writing. But it’s an extremely easy trap to fall into. Even great writers can be…