Columns

17 Recommended Podcasts To Help You Improve As A Writer and Human Being

April 19th, 2017

Initially I was going to write an article solely focussing on podcasts that can help you improve as a writer. But the more I pondered the subject, the more evident it became that being a well-rounded writer is inseparable from being a well-rounded human being. Rather than read this as a definitive list of podcasts, I want this piece to serve as a starting point in your own podcast journey. A choose-your-own-adventure, if you like. For that reason I’ve sectioned recommendations into categories.

Read Column →

13 Ways to Support an Author Without Ever Spending a Dime

April 18th, 2017

I may be an author myself, but I still get it: books can be expensive. I read like a fiend and have made it a personal mission to support as many of my favorite books and authors as possible, but it can be tricky at times on an author/teacher paycheck. There are so many ways, however, to show an author some love without having to drop $25 for every hardback on the shelf. Here are just a few suggestions to help get you started.

Read Column →

Storyville: Great Titles—Hooking Your Readers

April 17th, 2017

So today we are going to be talking all about titles and hooks—how your title can grab your readers and kick off the story with information, excitement, and mystery. I’ll be focusing on my own work, because I can provide some insight into the process, and what the story and titles mean to each other, as well. Let’s dig right in.

Read Column →

100 Bits Of Advice Gleaned From Writing 100 LitReactor Columns

April 17th, 2017

By the time you read this I'll have over 100 LitReactor columns under my belt. There have been some successes, some failures, and a whole lot to learn for someone new to the freelance writing game. Some of the lessons are about writing, pitching column ideas, productivity, and a good portion are about Demolition Man. Let me narrow it down to the 100 most important things. Which are in a particular order: the order in which they came to me. 1. tl;dr is the realest shit ever.

Read Column →

Book vs. Comic vs. Film: "Eight O'Clock in the Morning" vs. "Nada" vs. "They Live"

April 17th, 2017

You've probably seen it at this point, the now infamous Pepsi commercial in which Kylie Jenner (a person famous merely for being rich) mends all social and political ails by handing a cop a cold can of tooth-rotting soda. If you haven't borne witness to this tone-deaf monstrosity, never fear, because someone out there in the internetosphere made a parody that sums up the ad's message neatly (whether or not the ad people behind the TV spot knew this was the actual message or not). Check it out: [video: https://youtu.be/1BZifBEOp5Y]

Read Column →

Writers: Why You Should (and Shouldn't) Start a Patreon

April 14th, 2017

If you’re reading this article, it’s probably a safe bet to assume you’re a writer, given this website is dedicated to the craft of writing. Either you’re a writer or you’re a robot pushing discounted sunglasses. There are literally no other possibilities. If you’re the latter, I’ll have you know I already have a rad pair of prescription shades, so I’m all good there. However, if you’re one of those writer people everybody’s always talking about, then there’s a good chance you’ve heard about Patreon.

Read Column →

Comics And Comics Movies Need Good Villains

April 14th, 2017

I’m going to spell out the problem here, right up top, so we can spend most of this column talking about the solutions. Comic books and comic book movies are filled with an ever-growing roster of great heroes. What hasn’t grown proportionally is the number and quality of the villains. Don’t believe me? If we look at some of the recent-ish comic movies, they have a lot of utterly forgettable villains who  amount to “some asshole.”

Read Column →

Story Structure: The Magic Bullet that Nearly Killed Me

April 13th, 2017

I was lost. After five years of work on a novel, it had become a Mobius strip: every time I reached the end, it was a completely different book. I would start over at the beginning, a new side, a total rewrite. The book slowly transformed while I was working as a reporter in DC in the mid-aughts, from a serious novel with hints of satire to a proper thriller about an Iranian conspiracy against the US. It would have been a great, prescient, cut-from-the headlines conspiracy tale, except it was old news by the time I was done.

Read Column →

Be Smarter Than a Toddler: 5 Ways To Avoid Reading Books to Your Kids

April 12th, 2017

Every parent of young children knows the experience. Your kid has started to read and you’re so proud, but they’ve also latched on to a few certain books. This could last for days or weeks or even months, and as a 33-year-old individual there’s only so much you can take—reading it to them every night, every day, sometimes all day. You’re the adult, you’re responsible for this little creature’s upbringing, so you know you’re doing the right thing. But inside your head you’re screaming and dying a little.

Read Column →

Five Storytelling Tips I Learned from Watching 'The Bachelor'

April 11th, 2017

I didn’t expect to become a fan. I really didn’t. I read award-winning books. I have watched the entire run of The Wire, TWICE. I don’t watch reality TV garbage. But then I started watching The Bachelor and The Bachelorette with my girlfriend, Leza, when we first got together. In fact, our very first date consisted of eating Thai food and watching The Bachelorette. I don’t think I need to tell you who got the rose that night. For real, though. I can’t even front. I love this stupid show.

Read Column →