Smack Dab in the Middle

 by Charlotte Bennardo The theme is problem solving. Being an English major and creative writer, solving problems, like in Algebra or the dreaded geometry classes (we won't even discuss chemistry), was not my forte. In my younger years, if I encountered a problem in these classes, well, that was what after-school help and tutoring were for. In college, I learned a valuable lesson off a classroom poster which said something to the effect of look at a problem and break it down into simpler tasks. I've found this works in almost anything I do. Photo by Peter Dyllong, Pexels. Here's how I relate problem solving to writing: How to write a book/essay/paper: 1 . Write down the bones: what plot points need to happen, how many characters are there, where will the actions take place? For an essay or paper, what points need to be addressed?  2 . Once I know what has to be in the story or paper, I do a rough outline, about 1-2 sentences per chapter or paragraph. 3 . I expand the outlin...