Columns

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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Remixing History: How 'The Get Down' Blends Fact and Fiction

September 15th, 2016

We’ve all heard that “truth is stranger than fiction,” but sometimes our made-up stories can beat history at its own game. Sometimes, fiction can be truer than truth.

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9 Ways To Punch Rejection In The Nuts—A Positive Outlook

September 14th, 2016

What are your odds of facing rejection as a writer? High! High as a motherfucking kite, my friend. This is a motivational piece, by the way.

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What $100 Of eBook Marketing Advice Is Really Worth

September 14th, 2016

I had a windfall. If $100 counts as a windfall. I'm not sure what the exact definition of "windfall" is, but for me, it's any amount I'd stay overnight in a haunted mansion to get. $100 is WELL within that boundary.

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What I Learned During My Time Away From Social Media

September 9th, 2016

I recently abstained from social media for fourteen days as part of an experiment. Perhaps not my most ambitious challenge, but given social media is a key promotional tool for This Is Horror and my primary way of communicating with many friends it was enough for me to feel it.

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