Columns

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

December 22nd, 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.

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The Must-Read Horror Graphic Novels of 2022

December 21st, 2022

This has been a powerful year for horror, especially in the comic industry. Creepshow came back with a triumphant new series followed by R.L.

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Storyville: 10 Tips and Exercises for Generating New Story Ideas

December 16th, 2022

What’s that you say, you’re having a hard time coming up with new story ideas? Well here are 10 tips and exercises that can help you do exactly that.

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11 Of My Personal Favorite Kidlit Reads of 2022

December 15th, 2022

It’s the end of another year — somehow. It doesn’t feel real, and yet the calendar says it’s mid-December, so who am I to argue with the great all-knowing gods of Google? Given that it’s nearly the end of 2022, I’d love to share some of my favorite books I read this year. I’m pursuing my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, which translates into having read a ton of kidlit this year.

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This Is Your Permission To Write Offensive Things

December 14th, 2022

Hi. I’m a White, cis, male writer. And I’m here to give everyone permission to write horribly offensive things. And, no, I’m not planning to do that by purchasing an entire social media platform. That’s SO last month. Let me tell you why I can give you permission to write offensive things and how taking it will change your writing for the better.

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Why Horror Resonates With Autistic Fans

December 13th, 2022

I’m autistic. While I didn’t receive an official diagnosis until my late 20s, I look back on my childhood and teenage years and can see how obvious it was. I was a certified “weird kid” with anxiety issues who was prone to panic attacks. While I don’t believe having a diagnosis is always necessary, it’s personally helped me to form a better understanding of myself and how to approach situations in a more positive way. Embracing this part of me has also led to a deeper connection with horror as a genre and a special interest.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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