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On the Value and Importance of Finding Your Writing "People"
July 5th, 2017
When I first got the confirmation, last summer, that I hadn’t made it into Pitch Wars, the huge writing competition to help unagented authors up their craft, I was completely dejected, thinking the whole endeavour had been a failure on my part. Then I started getting more involved in the Facebook group that flourished out of the competition, and began to see all the other names and faces who hadn’t made it in, and began to understand that sometimes, you don’t have to be an official competition winner in order to come away with the prize.
Read Column →When Peter Met Tony: The Apprentice/Mentor Relationship Between Spider-Man and Iron Man
July 5th, 2017
Peter Parker and Tony Stark haven’t always been so close. From his earliest days Spider-Man was trying to be an Avenger, but couldn’t quite pull off convincing the guys he was worthy. But a little over a decade ago, J. Michael Straczynski decided that there was ample ground to build a relationship between the two characters, namely that of mentor and apprentice.
Read Column →The Voices of Trumpmerica
July 3rd, 2017
This is the first Independence Day under a new presidential administration. With everything that’s happened since last November, it’s unlikely to be one the world will easily forget. For many of us in the United States, there's sure to be a surreal tinge to the patriotic festivities this year.
Read Column →10 Things Only Hardcore Bookworms Do
June 30th, 2017
You probably know more than one and, if you're reading this, there's a staggering probability that you are one. I'm talking about bookworms. You can also call them book fans, book people, book freaks, book lovers, etc. All those names work, but it's their actions that I want to talk about today. Bookworms are weird for a plethora of reasons and, when it comes to reading, books, and literature, they occupy a special mental/physical space characterized by stacks of books everywhere, constant purchases, passionate discussions, and a few other things.
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Cannibalizing Yourself: 9 Reasons You Should Mine Your Life for Ideas
June 23rd, 2017
"I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you." - Song of Myself by Walt Whitman
Read Column →Three Things That Will Tank The Dark Tower Movie For Fans Of The Books
June 22nd, 2017
The man in Black fled across the Desert, and the Gunslinger followed.
Read Column →Tommy Wiseau, Charles Hinton, and the Non-Existance of Ironic Joy
June 22nd, 2017
Most of you are probably familiar with Tommy Wiseau, auteur behind The Room. The Room is a fascinating piece of work. It’s become the defining version of the “so bad it’s good” type of thing. Loads of people come out to midnight showings, throw spoons at the screen, and engage in the sort of shenanigans normally reserved for screenings of Rocky Horror.
Read Column →The Lost Art of the Graphic Novel Introduction
June 21st, 2017
There was a time when comic book trade paperbacks we’re not that common. The Dark Knight Returns, for instance, and Watchmen were notable for being collected and released in book stores. That was in 1986, and in the years that followed it was so rare of an occurrence that a trade paperback release was treated as a special event. From Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman to Kevin Smith’s monumental run on Daredevil that put the character back on the map, trade paperbacks were treated with prestige.
Read Column →How to Start an Author Website
June 21st, 2017
Spurred on by the One Story Per Week Writing Challenge, I recently decided to set up a personal website. A platform to showcase my writing, podcasting, and editing. Here are some of the lessons I learned and steps you can take to set up your own. Pages Before buying a domain name, choosing a content management system and setting up an email list, you should decide on the pages you’d like your website to include and then write copy for each.
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