Craft Matters. But So Does Access.
Strong writing is not always resonant writing.
You can have vivid scenes and powerful emotion, but without intentional emotional architecture, even strong scenes can feel disconnected.
An echo can be a recurring image, object, phrase, or thread that quietly reverberates through a piece. When layered strategically, it gives the work cohesion and depth.
An echo might be:
• A childhood object that reappears in adulthood
• A phrase spoken in one context that lands differently later
• A sensory detail that gains meaning as the narrative unfolds
• A metaphor that deepens across timelines
When writers identify and build in echoes deliberately, something shifts. The piece begins to resonate.
This is the craft work I teach in my classes, webinars, and workshops. Not just how to write a scene, but how to construct emotional architecture that lingers.
In my upcoming live webinar next week with Writer’s Digest, I’ll guide writers through how to excavate the images, sounds, words, and metaphors already present in their drafts. We’ll identify potential echoes and build them in deliberately so they reverberate across the piece. Sign up Here.
But craft is only one part of the writing life.
The other part is access. As you know from Writing That Gets Noticed, I talk bout generation and publication.
That’s why I’m especially excited about a free Editor-on-Call event I’m hosting in collaboration with NYU.
In this live conversation, top editor Susan Dabbar of PROVOKED will speak candidly about:
• What makes a personal essay stand out
• How to show your midlife voice and attitude in a pitch or submission
• What writers often misunderstand about submissions
I love these conversations because they pull back the curtain.
In fact if you’ve read my essay, When Your Colleague Isn’t a Friend. She’s a Frenemy, that is an example of the voice and attitude PROVOKED is looking for
If you are working on memoir or personal essays, these two opportunities work together. One strengthens your emotional architecture. The other strengthens your editorial awareness.
Join us.
Sign up for the webinar
Sign up for The Editor-on-Call event
And don’t forget to check out the 179 episodes of Freelance Writing Direct, where I demystify publishing in every form.
Hi Estelle,
I’ve listened to your audiobook twice I love it. Because of all the great tools and links you provide, I think I will need to buy the paperback version, too.
I didn’t know how tech savvy you were until I listened to your book. I like all the tech tools you share. They are helping me simplify my writing. I often make it too complicated.
Hi Amy,
That means so much to hear. Listening twice is the highest compliment. I’m thrilled the tools and links are helping simplify your writing. Sometimes the biggest breakthrough is realizing we can make things clearer rather than more complicated.
And yes, the paperback can be handy for flipping back to the resources and exercises. I’m so glad the book is useful to you. Thank you for telling me. If you ever feel inclined to leave a short review on Amazon, it really helps other writers discover the book.
Estelle
Estelle