Desk Notes by Charles Schifano

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In the São Paulo summer, the air is salty and thick and the rains are always just minutes away.
To care about the state and quality of writing today is to scream into a void while knowing that the void does nothing but laugh.
Nothing makes you doubt the merits of a music education more than a neighbor who takes up the violin.
You might recognize these undulations if you’ve ever struggled with a new language.

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Even though it is fairly common for writers to disparage clichés, it is rare for writers to explain that disparagement.
Shouldn’t we expect more from our arts? From what should be the pinnacle of our culture?
For a critical piece it is worth remembering that a writer’s contract is always with the reader.
For reasons that escape my understanding, most students aren’t taught the conventions of contemporary English writing.
Even the smallest of steps point toward distant horizons.
Nearly everyone notices that epiphanies have a propensity to strike during hot showers, though they also seem to favor mid-morning strolls, or quiet…
When I arrive in a city for the first time, my conclusions typically arrive on the next plane.
There’s an assumption that today’s acclaim will never be esoteric or forgettable or even uninteresting to future generations.
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Desk Notes by Charles Schifano

Exploring writing, travel, and literature—with a new issue every Friday.
Most Popular—Literature
Losing a LanguageYou might recognize these undulations if you’ve ever struggled with a new language.
A Writer's WriterWhat it takes to finish the novel.
The Weight of SincerityIris Murdoch grips her pen a tad firmer than most writers.
Most Popular—Personal
IceThe first hints of dawn come with a soft violet color now that the colder days have arrived.
Transfer at 42ndApparent victims always give you the most remarkable looks—and I do write from experience.
The Passing DayHow does distance affect our perception of time?
Most Popular—Travel
A Border TownWhat makes a border town?
AddressesThe real map is a hidden network of relationships, memories, and associations.
Collapsible DistancesHow does speed change our perception of distance?

Desk Notes by Charles Schifano

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