Columns

Storyville: Introducing Your Children to Horror

July 25th, 2016

I’ve been a fan of dark fiction for as long as I can remember, so when the day came that I had children of my own (twins actually, a boy and a girl) I knew it was only a matter of time before they started asking about my work, reading and writing, and seeking out dark fiction, horror especially. Here are some ideas on how you can turn your kids on to horror without scarring them for life.

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10 Non-Fiction Books That Changed My Life

July 22nd, 2016

Photo by Gregg Segal I read a lot of non-fiction books. Mostly for self-improvement, ideas and inspiration. Ways to make my life better and to help me grow both personally and professionally. More often than not the books I choose do help, and with each read I take away nuggets of wisdom I can implement to improve my life. But occasionally a book is an absolute game changer. This is what I’m focusing on today. Sometimes it’s not following the book exactly to the letter that changes my life but the fundamental principles I learn.

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Is "Stranger Things" The Contemporary Sci-Fi/Horror Juggernaut We've Been Waiting For?

July 21st, 2016

Right now, people are talking about Stranger Things just about as much as they're playing Pokémon Go (almost, anyway).

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The Weird World Of Marvel What If's

July 21st, 2016

Here's the deal with Marvel's What If? series: Imagine a bunch of comic book dorks sitting around, arguing about what would happen if the Fantastic Four hadn't beaten Galactus. And when you imagine this, I recommend only your visual and auditory senses. Skip on the olfactory.

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Wrestletown, Publishing, and Doing It By Myself

July 20th, 2016

The modern publishing industry has never been as splintered as it is today, with authors finding success through a number of channels – traditional big four, small press, self-publishing, crowdfunding, putting work out for free through sites such as Wattpad or blogs to gain a following, etc. The playing field is wide with more and more responsibility being placed on the creator – no matter the avenue they take – to promote themselves and sell their work. There has never been a better time to experiment, and there is no wrong way to pursue your dream.

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The State of the Great American Novel

July 19th, 2016

The concept of a unifying “Great American Novel” (GAN) dates back to an essay published by essayist John William De Forest in The Nation in 1868. Essentially, De Forest wanted exactly what the title says— an original novel that encompassed the heart of the American experience. 

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What Works & What Doesn't: 'Full Metal Jacket'

July 18th, 2016

Welcome back to What Works & What Doesn't. In previous installments we've looked at the basic building blocks of a screenplay, working our way up from beats to scenes, from scenes to sequences, and sequences to acts. Now it's time to examine the screenplay in its entirety, from beginning to middle to end, Acts I-III.

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Ramona Quimby and A Head Full of Ghostbusters: When Men Write Women

July 15th, 2016

On the cusp of Ghostbusters' release, now is a good time to consider when men write women versus when women write women. In a male-dominated industry, both Hollywood and the publishing world, it's common that even powerful women in fiction are written by men. In the case of Ghostbusters, writer/director Paul Feig, who has a history with female-driven stories such as Bridesmaids (2011), The Heat (2013) and Spy (2015), collaborated with Katie Dippold (Parks and Recreation) on the script.

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12 Grammar and Writing Tips from Archer

July 15th, 2016

If I were having a dinner party, and I could invite anyone I wanted, I would totally invite Adam Reed, the creator and writer of the made-for-adults cartoon show, Archer.

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How I More Than Doubled My Patreon Support in Less Than 30 Days

July 14th, 2016

The idea behind this article was conceived on 10 May, 2016 at 1 a.m. when I rather foolishly decided to send this pitch to the LitReactor editors. I can write 'How I Doubled My Patreon Support in 30 Days' provided you tell me ASAP you're commissioning it and give me at least thirty days to write it—it's going to be a pretty experimental column.

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