Writing Archives - Henry Anderson

If in Doubt, Leave it Out

June 17, 2026 No Comments

“If in doubt, leave it out” – a seemingly innocuous phrase – remains one of the many valuable pieces of writing advice I learned in the newsroom. It’s a simple enough saying, but it carries a surprising amount of wisdom — it applies to many areas of life. My father used to say “cut it out” when my brother and I fought in the back of the car (“cut it out” is of unclear origin, but the meaning is clear – someone wants you to stop a type of behaviour that is annoying them). Being an adult involves leaving out parts of our behaviour. Humans

The sand in an hourglass emptying all too quickly.

Procrastination – Finishing it Later

May 17, 2026 No Comments

I have portal dreams a lot. A magical gate appears that takes you instantly to a different destination. Perhaps it comes with the territory of reading and writing a lot of fantasy. In the waking world, however, the journey between two places is never instant – there is always a hard journey and sometimes a long one. I have had long periods of illness when I was only physically capable of writing a few minutes a day. But it taught me something. I learned the trick that working even a small amount every day can end up as a superpower. There are books written about

Category: Writing

If in Doubt, Leave it Out

Procrastination – Finishing it Later

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