Columns

Tech and Product Round-Up: September Edition

September 28th, 2016

Welcome to the monthly tech news round-up. I've got some cool stuff from Shelfie, as well as anything you fellow writers out there might like to know about Apple's newest iPhones and mobile operating system, iOS 10. And finally, there's a bookmarklet I just discovered the other day that allows you to easily turn webpages into ePub books. There's a fair amount of ground to cover, so let's get started.

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Memory

September 28th, 2016

Memory has always been an important element of the Harry Potter series. From Neville Longbottom’s Remembrall in Sorcerer’s Stone to Gilderoy Lockhart’s backfiring memory charm in Chamber of Secrets to the prominence of Pensieves from Goblet of Fire onward, memory as physical object is probably the most fascinating ideology of author J.K. Rowling. She also builds on the idea of memory being vital to the formation of identity over the course of seven books.

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They’re All Going To Laugh At You!: 5 Ways To Overcome Anxiety While Writing Your First Novel

September 26th, 2016

I’ve slowed down on the freelance work.

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LitReactor Community Spotlight: September 2016

September 23rd, 2016

It's been a little while, but the Community Spotlight is back! It's my first time putting the Spotlight together, and just in case it's your first time reading it, let me tell you why this matters. Because it's a lot more than just a list of stuff to read.

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LURID: Branwell Brontë—Wastrel or Romantic Hero?

September 23rd, 2016

Branwell Brontë died 168 years ago this weekend, on September 24th, 1848.  His cause of death was listed as “chronic bronchitis and marasmus”, a polite way of saying he was a coughing, half-starved, alcoholic, laudanum-addicted wreck who finally, mercifully, proved unequal to the struggle of drawing breath.

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Why A Little Writing Jealousy Is Healthy

September 22nd, 2016

Every writer has felt it—that twinge of jealousy when you read a sentence so perfect, it makes you angry that you didn't think of it first. Sitting around feeling envious of others' work can be detrimental, but it can also be a healthy motivator when kept in check. 

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6 Annoying Things Writers Are Asked To Do And How To Ask Anyway

September 21st, 2016

"Hey, you're a writer, right?" Whenever I hear that, it's not because someone recognizes my name or photo (although I have been mistaken for Stephen King. Whether or not the Stephen King I was mistaken for is the one from before or after his accident, I refuse to say). When people say "Hey, you're a writer," it's because they're about to ask me to do something for them.

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10 Standard Texts for Junior High and High School English Class: Just How Great Are They?

September 19th, 2016

image courtesy Schplook / flikr.com It is now mid-September, which means many

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7 Reasons Why Every Writer Should Journal

September 16th, 2016

I have three physical journals and one electronic journal. I also use the Notes application on my iPhone to write thoughts and observations down if I’m caught journal-less. The three journals are all pocketsize so I can take them everywhere. The first journal is for quotes, life lessons and realisations I pick-up throughout the day. The second is for story ideas, snatches of dialogue and observations. I like to keep the first journal positive so it can inspire and uplift me on those darker days but the second journal is ‘anything goes’.

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6 Independent Comics and Graphic Novels You Need To Read This Fall

September 16th, 2016

There are so many excellent independent comics that it's easy to miss them. They often fly slightly beneath the radar, making it even easier to neglect a title that would otherwise be perfect for a fall day and a mug of apple cider. 

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