Chekov’s story reminds the reader that there is a fine balance between the perfection we seek in our lives and obstacles and set-backs life throws at us. And it’s how we react, together, in the face of those obstacles that defines our relationships with our loved ones.

What is there to say about Salman Rushdie that hasn’t already been said. Teller of truth. Writer of conviction. Intellectual of the crossroads between religion and contemporary society. Rushdie’s writings are both provocative, poetic, and insightful. The perfect writer to study for our modern times.

A well-designed narrative draws the reader in, hooks them by the heart, and enlivens their curiosity. The ride you take them on as you zoom in and zoom out of locations and settings and characters’ thoughts and feelings is what makes readers invest their precious time with your words.

But how? How do we create a cinematic experience on the page?

I must confess something that I’ve been struggling with since I was a kid…writing is really, really, really painful for me.

I get stuck in my head all the time. My internal critic grabs a bullhorn and yells at me to drop the pen and run. I feel like a fraud or an imposter or, at the very least, like I’m not worthy to call myself a “writer.”

Please tell me I’m not the only person who suffers from this?

George Saunders’ “Sticks” is a story about a Dad and his odd hobby of decorating a pole in his front yard. But, what the story is really about is a Dad’s struggle with his relationships with his kids and his struggle with his inevitable death.

The story is also an awesome example of how to craft a meaningful, well-told story by focusing on the periphery of a character — the importance and symbolism of a single object (a pole) and how it reflects the journey of a character (the Dad).