Columns
Showing 3540 Columns
Exploring The Pomodoro Technique and Timers to Improve Productivity and Write More
May 23rd, 2016
I’m a productivity junkie. For a long-time now I’ve been obsessed with squeezing the most out of the day and optimising the way I work. In a world full of distractions and technology maintaining focus can be difficult, but for many of us it’s absolutely necessary. I’m a writer, editor, podcaster, publisher and teacher. Without a system in place for getting the work done I’d crumble—losing my job and whatever dignity I still have.
Read Column →12 Superman Stories You And Zack Snyder Should Read
May 20th, 2016
I saw Man Of Steel. I saw Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice. I've seen what Zack Snyder has made of Superman. The fanboy side of me was frustrated. And when I say fanboy, I don't mean that to evoke a guy screaming into his computer in all caps about how this or that character would never do this or that thing. I mean a fanboy who collected action figures deep into his teens. And by "collected," I mean played with.
Read Column →Every Anne Rice Novel Summarized in 140 Characters or Less
May 19th, 2016
Book image via Brad Murgen Inspired by the column that almost became a segment on the Queen Latifah Show: Every Stephen King Novel Summarized in 140 Characters or Less by Max Booth III First, a few caveats, based on reactions to my previous column,
Read Column →All's Well That Ends Well: On Marriage And Closure
May 19th, 2016
Wedding season is almost upon us. For some, weddings are rituals imbued with cultural, religious, and personal significance. For others, they come with baggage of historical seclusion or repression, and for some they're nothing more or less than a ticket to a party with alcohol and cake.
Read Column →Six Habits of Prolific Writers (and How to Make Them Yours)
May 18th, 2016
Almost every writer out there dreams of being prolific. We all aspire to be the writer who puts out an abundant amount of quality work, drawing in new readers and fulfilling our creative destiny. For those of us who struggle to put words on the page on a daily basis, sometimes the dream seems out of reach. But in reality, there are a few key habits that most prolific writers maintain that can also easily be ours. If you’ve ever dreamed of being a high-volume writer, here are six habits to cultivate.
Read Column →How Running A Writing Contest For Kids Can Change Your Life (or at least your perspective...)
May 18th, 2016
It all began with a phone call. "Would you be interested in helping to run the school's annual Reading Night," asked a friendly voice at the other end of the line. "I know you're a writer and..." How many conversations in our writer-lives end like that. "I know you're a writer and...." "...can you write this press release for me...for free?" "...can you write an article about underwater basket weaving and its impact on the global economy...for free?"
Read Column →Try To Be A Ghost: The Life and Times Of A Professional Ghostwriter
May 16th, 2016
Does anyone remember that column I wrote about a year ago, “What 65,000 Words In One Month Feels Like: My Life So Far As A Full-time Freelancer”? Yeah, it was a cute piece. The reason I think it’s so cute is because of this little statement (Guess who’s about to quote himself?):
Read Column →10 Beautiful Science Books
May 13th, 2016
As in any genre of writing, not all science authors are created equal. It takes a special kind of genius to explain some of the most complex subjects known to man, in a manner that's both accurate and linguistically elegant. By no means a comprehensive list of books that manage to achieve such heights, these titles are nonetheless a good place to begin exploring the outer reaches of the universe and the deepest corners of the human mind.
Read Column →How to Create an Award-Winning Magazine Without Ever Spending a Dime
May 13th, 2016
I’m going to tell you something no one else wants to admit: it’s really easy to run a successful literary magazine. It’s probably one of the least difficult things in the world. I’m not saying it’s easy to start a magazine and keep it alive for a couple months—I’m saying it’s easy to start a magazine and make it become one of the most popular magazines in the history of magazines. You want some awards? No sweat. Naked, beautiful groupies throwing themselves at your feet? You better have a big floor, pal.
Read Column →
