Desk Notes by Charles Schifano
Subscribe
Sign in
Home
Essays on Craft
Words About Words
Politics and History
Archive
About
Dive into the Water
I must have been about seven or eight years old when my swim coach asked me to stay after practice.
Jun 14, 2024
•
Charles Schifano
30
7
4
Elite Mobs
In an earlier time a single critic could sell a novel.
Mar 28, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
14
16
5
Sensations of Childhood
Summertime, when you’re young, lasts forever.
Jun 30, 2023
•
Charles Schifano
26
14
4
Soundless
Nothing makes you doubt the merits of a music education more than a neighbor who takes up the violin.
Feb 23, 2024
•
Charles Schifano
30
20
2
Exclamation!
I don’t remember when I learned about exclamation points.
Mar 14, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
12
5
2
Most Popular
View all
The Problem With Contemporary Writing
Jan 28, 2022
•
Charles Schifano
71
15
25
First Drafts
May 23, 2023
•
Charles Schifano
29
5
4
Making Judgements
Jun 13, 2023
•
Charles Schifano
27
4
3
Burn After Not Reading
Nov 28, 2023
•
Charles Schifano
25
10
3
The Fine Art of Walking Offstage
My favorite type of plagiarism is self-plagiarism, so let me quote an authority figure on my own thoughts.
Sep 19, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
11
6
A Shock of Aesthetic Pleasure
To be limited by the practical.
Sep 12, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
11
4
2
How to Look at a Painting, at a Life
I can’t look away and I can't explain what I see.
Aug 31, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
13
6
1
Shifting Gears in Brazil
I found myself surrounded by Brazilians.
Aug 8, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
13
8
3
How Not What
The entire story is foretold in the opening sentence.
Jul 25, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
17
4
2
Word Homicide
There’s a cemetery on my computer.
Jul 11, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
6
5
1
My Favorite Essay
How far could I push a deception?
Jul 4, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
9
3
Risky Directions
At one time I was accustomed to giving directions.
Jun 27, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
10
7
Disorderly Creativity
For a long time, I resisted a truth about creativity.
Jun 20, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
15
2
3
Character Without Conviction
Fully believing in fictional worlds.
Jun 13, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
16
8
4
Dissociating From Pain
During the past few years I have learned to dissociate from pain.
Jun 6, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
10
3
1
See all
Desk Notes by Charles Schifano
Exploring writing, travel, and literature.
Subscribe
Recommendations
View all 8
The Intrinsic Perspective
Erik Hoel
Thomas J Bevan
Thomas J Bevan
Dwell by Andrew Boryga
Andrew Boryga
Life Litter
Jill
Sherman Alexie
Sherman Alexie
Essays on Craft
View all
How Not What
The entire story is foretold in the opening sentence.
Jul 25, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
17
4
2
Word Homicide
There’s a cemetery on my computer.
Jul 11, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
6
5
1
Disorderly Creativity
For a long time, I resisted a truth about creativity.
Jun 20, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
15
2
3
Character Without Conviction
Fully believing in fictional worlds.
Jun 13, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
16
8
4
How You've Changed My Writing
I didn't expect the writing to contain the past.
May 23, 2025
•
Charles Schifano
11
1
2
This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please
turn on JavaScript
or unblock scripts
