Columns

What 'Westworld' Can Teach Us About Writers

December 2nd, 2016

It’s fair to say Westworld is winning television right now. HBO’s latest gem and 2016’s best argument for reboot culture is being watched, discussed and dissected with far more fervor than expected for a show based on a 1973 film that is mostly remembered for Yul Brenner perfecting the iconic killer robot walk.

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5 Horrifying Monsters That Aren't Vampires, Zombies or Werewolves!

December 1st, 2016

Editors and publishers are getting weary of zombies, werewolves and vampires haunting their slush piles. Despite their pleas for change, new writers keep resurrecting the same old monsters for their latest horror submissions. There are a million strange and wonderful creatures out there that are dying to claw their way into your next manuscript. Here are five nasties you’ve probably never heard of that will inspire you to terrorize us with something new.

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Storyville: 10 Neo-Noir Films to Influence Your Fiction

November 30th, 2016

One of the reasons I talk about neo-noir so much is that, to me, it embodies everything I love in a great story—something new, innovative, and different; something dark, tragic, and conflicted; something with atmosphere, mood, and depth. Today’s article will talk about ten of my favorite neo-noir films, and how they can inform, inspire, and elevate your prose. I won’t include a ton of plot summation, as you have probably heard and/or seen most or all of these movies. If you haven’t, then hop to it. I’ll do my best to avoid spoilers.

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Creepypasta: Is Any of it Worth Reading?

November 29th, 2016

I can see some of you bristling at the title. Put those tweets down, sir.

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Tech and Product Round-Up: November Edition

November 28th, 2016

image courtesy apple.com Welcome, fellow writers, to LitReactor's monthly tech and product round-up. We've got plenty of ground to cover—including some sweet discounts on Kindle devices (before a potential price hike on all electronics), an update on on the new MacBook Pros that rolled out earlier this month, and a look at some free online writing tools that might just improve your prose. Let's dive right in, shall we?

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To-Do List: 5 Steps To Hiring A Freelance Editor

November 23rd, 2016

My last column listed 5 reasons to hire a freelance editor and also described how to go about submitting work if you don't. This week, I want to share some tips from The Other Side about what to do if you make the leap to hire a freelance editor for your manuscript. Here's what to do—and what to avoid. 

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Two Notable Books on the Kennedy Assassination Conspiracy

November 23rd, 2016

“Where were you on the day they shot Kennedy?” is probably the most treasured of all baby-boomer reminiscences. Like everyone else, I know exactly where I was: in a second-grade classroom at Fairmount Elementary School, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania on November 22, 1963. Our teacher, Mrs. June Stover, who was everyday glamorous in high heels, clacked out of the classroom when the principal, Mr. Chalmers Gould, came knocking, and returned in a state of shocked agitation. “The President was shot, and you’re all going home,” she said.

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7 Books About Colonialism

November 22nd, 2016

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines colonialism as “control by one power over a dependent area or people.”

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10 Books to Distract You From the Awful Shit Happening Right Now

November 22nd, 2016

photo courtesy static416 / flikr.com 2016 has kinda sucked, yeah? To name but a handful of reasons why:

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Confession: I Paid For Book Reviews

November 21st, 2016

No author worth their salt would pay for book reviews, right? Right. I'm here to prove it to you. And I'm uniquely positioned to do so because I'm an author NOT worth my salt. I stand (sit) here before you (my computer) and say it proudly (through a mouthful of donut): I paid for book reviews. Here's what happened.

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