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7 Valuable Pinterest Tips for Writers
April 4th, 2016
Most writers are aware that Pinterest is known as the single greatest time-suck in all of procrastination, but in reality it can be so much more. Sure, you can spend hours pinning recipes you’ll never try or crafty bookish projects that won’t turn out quite like you imagined, but there’s a way to make Pinterest a source of more creative pursuits. From before you sit down to your work in progress to marketing your finished novel, here is a list of ways for making the most out of Pinterest as a writer.
Read Column →Every Danielle Steel Novel Summarized in 140 Characters or Less
April 1st, 2016
Images via Cyrus Webb & DaniellSteel.com 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 Say you wanted to get into Danielle Steel and didn't kno
Read Column →UPDATED WITH WINNER - LitReactor's Flash Fiction Smackdown: City of Rose Edition
March 30th, 2016
Flash fiction: A style of fictional literature marked by extreme brevity Welcome to LitReactor's Flash Fiction Smackdown, a monthly bout of writing prowess. How It Works We give you inspiration in the form of a picture, poem, video, or prompt. You write a flash fiction piece using the inspiration we gave you. Put your entry in the comments section. One winner will be picked and awarded a prize.
Read Column →Book vs. Film: 'Horns'
March 30th, 2016
When it comes to the success or failure of a book adaptation, casting the prominent roles is essential. An actor that just isn't right for a particular role can make or break the quality of a film based on a novel. Sometimes, the actor in question seems born to play a particular role—like Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden in Fight Club; can anyone picture the character any other way now?
Read Column →The Joy of Writing Negative Book Reviews
March 29th, 2016
If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Isn't it convenient that the stupidest quote ever also provides its own defense against critique? But more to the point, I'll respond to this quote. Why say something mean? Because it's fun to say mean things sometimes. There's a bit of a backlash against the negative book review at the moment, and I'd like to make a case for why it's good, clean fun to get dirty in your reviews.
Read Column →Guts and Sinew: The Relentless Vitality of Richard Stark's Parker
March 29th, 2016
"What is his name?" "Parker." Mr. Carter frowned. "Doesn't he have a first name?" "I don't know it, Mr. Carter. He never called himself anything but Parker." -Richard Stark, The Hunter (1962)
Read Column →Dealing With Self-Doubt: Tips from 7 Popular Authors
March 25th, 2016
From the new writer just finding her feet to the full-time professional, so many writers struggle with self-doubt. So much so that sometimes it’s crippling, even preventing us from doing the very thing we purport to love—writing. And it doesn’t get easier with professional sales. In fact, during a podcast conversation with Damien Angelica Walters she actually said she believes it gets harder. But there are coping strategies.
Read Column →Legends of Tomorrow: An Epic Disappointment
March 24th, 2016
I really wanted to like this show. Gave it a sincere effort. On paper, the pitch is great: a bunch of secondary characters (heroes and villains) from DC’s popular series Arrow and The Flash get recruited by a time traveler to fight an immortal warlord named Vandal Savage throughout history. The stuff of Saturday morning cartoons rendered flesh on a primetime action adventure show. Who wouldn’t want to watch that?
Read Column →Four Famous Writers Whose Prose Was Crap
March 22nd, 2016
I'm going to let you in on a secret here. It's kind of technical, so you need to concentrate. Here goes. Writing well consists of two elements: 1) Big picture stuff (the story) 2) Small picture stuff (the words you use to tell the story) Now I'm going to let you in on another well-guarded secret. You might want to sit down before reading it, because this is radical. The only one of these two that matters, is the first one.
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