Storyville: Writing the Grotesque
Column by Richard Thomas
Damaged, deformed, and dysfunctional characters—we still have compassion for them. This is the grotesque.
A Literary History Of Oz
Column by Kimberly Turner
With today's release of Disney's Oz prequel, it's time to look at the literary legacy of L. Frank Baum's weird and wonderful land. At 42 books and counting, the story of Oz is bigger than you think.
From Elphaba To Grendel: Ten Twisted Fairy Tales
Column by Meredith Borders
Ten modern takes on your favorite classic fairy tales and legends.
Orson Scott Card’s Personal Beliefs Are Appalling, But...
Column by Kelly Thompson
DC has hired Orson Scott Card to write a Superman story. Will you read it? Do you support creators with abhorrent personal beliefs? Why or why not? And where do you draw the line?
LURID: American Psycho - A Retrospective
Column by Karina Wilson
Happy Birthday Patrick Bateman! On the anniversary of American Psycho's publication, Lurid takes a look at the enduring appeal of everyone's favorite homicidal yuppie. Murders & Executions, oh my!
8 Ways to Flesh Out a Character
Column by Rob Blair Young
Looking to develop a character? Here are eight ways you can create a fleshier concept for who your character is and what drives them.
The Fine Line Between Experimental and Crap
Column by Cath Murphy
Fetch the electrodes and the test tubes, Igor! It's time to perform some literary experiments....
Ask The Agent: Does Self-Publishing Impede Landing an Agent, Acceptable Word Count and More!
Column by Bree Ogden
Navigating the rough terrain of today’s publishing industry shouldn’t be a solo event. This week in Ask the Agent, I’ll explore and dissect 3 of the industry’s mysteries straight from the shoulder.
Flash Fiction: The Zorro Circle of Storytelling
Column by Rob Blair Young
Flash fiction can help writers answer vital questions: How can you identify which words to cut? How can you use subtlety to increase the power of your prose? And what's at the heart of a story?
10 Big-Time Literary Drunks
Column by Ed Sikov
A selection of ten writers who made names for themselves as alcoholics.
