writing – A.P. Miller

A Storyteller’s Dharma

Posted on 5 Jan 20242 Jan 2024 by A.P. Miller in Blog

Dharma (n); Hinduism: 1. Essential quality or character; as of the cosmos or one’s own nature. 2. Conformity to religious law, custom, duty, or one’s own quality or character. ¹

Happy New Year and welcome back to the Millerverse! Sincerely, I hope this year brings you more joy, and success, than you could possibly be prepared for! I hope your 2023 ended on a positive note, I hope your 2024 isn’t a fraction of the dumpster fire the last few years have been, and I hope you look forward to the coming year with positive expectation. If 2023 wasn’t kind, I’m sorry, and I want you to know that you have every reason, and right, to believe that 2024 will treat you with reverie.

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Imposter Syndrome: Not Just a Great Name for a Band!

Posted on 2 Sep 202221 Aug 2022 by A.P. Miller in Blog

If I’m being honest with myself, if I saw a band with the name Imposter Syndrome on a flyer at my favorite local show venue (big love to Reggie’s on 42nd Street in Wilmington, NC!), I’d go see them. The name kind of gives some post-nu-metal rap fusion vibes, but I’d put down the cover to see them.

Imposter Syndrome, in a context fit for an author’s blog, is the phenomenon when an author feels like a fraud, and has an overwhelming conviction of such to the point they undermine the validity of their body of work. Hi, my name is A.P. Miller, and I have Imposter Syndrome.

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We

Posted on 29 Oct 202125 Oct 2021 by A.P. Miller in Blog

Such a powerful word, “We.” Two letters, one syllable, and yet it has one of the most powerful context usages in the English language. We, while visually innocuous, speaks volumes when used in the correct sentence. Perhaps it’s because I wield language as both a sword and a shield, but I think a lot about the words we use, and how they too can be used as a sword and a shield. No word is as much of a Swiss Army Knife as “we.”

“We” is the defeat of solitude. Saying “we” conjures strength in numbers. “We” is the stark absence of loneliness. “We” is a first-world army against the militia forces of “I.” “We” could be as simple as two, or be as vast as a cast of thousands. “We” is Nirvana to those who dwell in “I.”

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Creative Writing: Writing Prompts to Beat Writer’s Block

Posted on 21 May 202111 May 2021 by A.P. Miller in Blog, Creative Writing

Picture it: a writing room. Everything is set up perfectly — the keyboard has been cleaned, there is tea in a mug, steeping to perfection, and the lighting is just right. A writer, a person burdened with the purpose of creating fiction that captivates their reader, saunters over to the desk and sits. With a quick adjustment of their knuckles, a symphony of cracking joints serves as the prelude to a session of creation unseen since “let there be light.” Except …the writer’s hands remain sedentary. What should be a passionate tango of language dancing across the surface of the keyboard is nothing but a middle school dance where everyone is glued to the wall.

Writer’s Block. See, inspiration is fleeting, and there is only so much “I’ll give you something to cry about” you can tell yourself to get the words to come. Unfortunately, sometimes the words get stopped up. We can all hope that medical and literary science will come up with a word laxative to treat prose constipation, but we’re going to be waiting a while. Much like actual constipation, there are home remedies for the condition, and they aren’t always pretty.

For this week’s blog, I’m sharing some writing prompts that may serve as the literary castor oil and bacon grease that’s going to make you more regular (that’s the last constipation joke, I swear!).

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Creative Writing: Writing Exercises – Volume 1

Posted on 14 May 20217 May 2021 by A.P. Miller in Blog, Creative Writing

When I released my first novel, “Broken Promise Records,” there were a good amount of folks who were surprised that I had an interest in creative writing, because I never talked about it. That opened the conversation for some, who said “I’d like to write stories, but I don’t know where to start.” That always struck a chord with me because I remember that exact feeling. Because of that, I always tried to be encouraging to the people who wanted to write, but didn’t know where to start. When you see me encourage people to pick up the pen and take a leap, that’s why.

A while ago, I posted a blog about Exploring the W’s as a creative writing exercise. I had a lot of fun sharing that and so I wanted to continue on that line of thinking. The only sure-fire way to improve your writing is to write and write often. Writing exercises, like physical ones, stretch and strengthen your creative writing ability. You don’t just wake up, go to the gym for the first time, and start bench pressing 350. You have to work and build up to that. For this week’s blog, I wanted to share a few writing exercises that I’ve used, and may hopefully encourage you to pick up that pen and write.

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