Columns

2022: The Year of Intrusive Thought As High Art Literature

December 12th, 2022

One reason why I’m drawn to reading my contemporaries is to deduce a sub-narrative of the collective unconscious; to see if a common needle of style, content, and intention has been thread through the zeitgeist. A “trend” that can only thrive unbeknownst in the rearview mirror rather than one based on present algorithm to pander towards what might sell. I see this as the one sincere way art can define an era, unencumbered by opportunists who come later, walking over the backs of those who have risked their raw instincts on the front lines.

Read Column →

5 Great Original Screenplays That (Probably) Won't Get Oscar Nominations

December 8th, 2022

As the year comes to a close, critics and awards organizations begin the process of curating the best movies released over the previous 12 months — and, by proxy, many begin to speculate what films will receive Academy Award nominations. And despite its efforts to make the Oscar ceremonies more inclusive and diverse, what is deemed worthy of cinema’s “greatest honor” by the Academy is still fairly predictable (like, it already seems it’s a foregone conclusion Brendan Fraser’s going to win Best Actor for The Whale, right?

Read Column →

LitReactor Staff Picks: The Best Books of 2022 - Part I

December 6th, 2022

Original image via Rodnae Productions Another year has come and gone. You know what that means, don't you? Time for a bunch of strangers to tell you what was good! And why should you care what the LitReactor staff thinks are the best books of the year? Trick question! You shouldn't. But what they have to say might interest you nonetheless, because they are good-looking and knowledgeable and they read like the wind.

Read Column →

How to Be Really Bad at Gifting Books

December 5th, 2022

If you’re on LitReactor, you’re probably a book lover. In fact, that’s probably an understatement on the level of, “If you’re on PornHub right now, you’re probably mildly interested in visual sex acts, categorized to a level of professionalism that would make most libraries proud.” And, my fellow book lovers, I’m here to tell you that we, as a whole, have fucked up the holidays in the past.

Read Column →

So You've Won NaNoWriMo — What Next?

December 2nd, 2022

Header image via Nataliya Vaitkevich It’s the first days of December and you’re celebrating, because in November you accomplished something truly stupendous — you wrote 50,000 words (or more!!! a hero) of a novel in thirty days.

Read Column →

Book vs. Film: "Bones and All"

November 29th, 2022

SPOILERS AHEAD It’s been said plenty of times before, but it’s worth repeating: the best cinematic adaptations of novels stay mostly true to their source material while at the same time carving out their own paths. Rigidly faithful adaptations can be great films (think Rosemary’s Baby, though feel free not to think about Roman Polanski, ever), but by and large these movies can feel stale for anyone already familiar with the book. 

Read Column →

6 Nonfiction Titles For Nonfiction November

November 28th, 2022

Halloween may be over, but that’s no reason to say goodbye to your spooky bookshelf! With the end of the year comes “Nonfiction November,” a yearly initiative where we can—just for a month—take a break from fiction and tuck into some nonfiction reads. Sure, nothing quite beats the comfort of a great story, but nonfiction books can be equally enjoyable—especially for horror readers interested in something on the darker side of the spectrum. Want to know more about why your favorite scary books and film have such an emotional effect?

Read Column →

7 Super-Satisfying Murder Mysteries to Read in Anticipation of "Glass Onion"

November 25th, 2022

Header illustration by Raúl Gil for Reedsy The 2019 release of Knives Out (starring Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, and Chris Evans) brought murder mysteries back into the mainstream. It’s now followed by Glass Onion, which sees a tech billionaire invite people to his private Greek island for a murder mystery party.

Read Column →

Storyville: The Symbolism of the Four Seasons

November 23rd, 2022

Have you ever sat down to write a short story (or a novel) and thought about what season you were going to set it in? No? Maybe you should. If you’ve taken my classes or been reading this column for a while you’ve heard me say “all things serve the beam.” This refers to Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. It means your story needs to keep servicing the heart of your story—the internal and external conflicts, the themes, your protagonist, the genre, the plot. And weather, the four seasons, they can do that as well.

Read Column →

Loving Comic Books, But Not Comic Book Movies

November 22nd, 2022

Let’s say a genie showed up. Hey, you rubbed a lamp, what did you expect? You can’t just go around rubbing on lamps and expect nothing to happen. This genie kind of sucks at his job, or maybe he misunderstood the training, so instead of wishes, he gives you a choice: “You can have one of these two things for the rest of your life, and the other will go away forever: comic books or comic book movies. Now CHOOSE!”

Read Column →