Columns

Celebrating Women In Horror Month

February 5th, 2015

Horror's Gender Problem One of the most talked-about and critically praised horror films of the last year was The Babadook (and let me tell you, it lives up to the hype). Eschewing the modern propensity for violence and gore and hearkening back to the minimalist atmosphere and suspense that characterized the genre in decades past, the film unnerves its audience psychologically, making the few instances of visceral horror all the more effective. Given this, it seems obvious to me that a woman—Jennifer Kent—wrote and directed this gem.

Read Column →

Storyville: Love Instead of Death—Writing With Heart

February 5th, 2015

Now, I’ll be the first person to say that I quite often write about death. I kill off a lot of people in my stories and novels—mothers dying of heartbreak, fathers seeking revenge, children, animals—you name it. There is violence in a lot of my writing. But, does that mean it has to be there, do we have to kill to have impact? Can we replace death with love, tragedy with hope? We can.

Read Column →

The Art And Necessity Of Love Letters

February 4th, 2015

Dear Reader, Right now, on my desk I've got a stack of 500 love letters. Just a few more than 500, if we're being exact. It's a huge ream of paper. And because I'm an idiot, I never bothered to number the pages. Every time I pick up the stack, every time I move it around, I hold my breath. I'm terrified I'll drop it. That the pages will splash on the ground, scatter all over the place, and that's it. My whole love life, all scrambled to pieces.

Read Column →

Breaking Down the Facebook Terms and Conditions Update — 2015

February 3rd, 2015

A new year, a new Facebook uproar. You may recall receiving the below notification when you logged into your Facebook account in late December or early January: By using our services after Jan 30, you agree to our updated terms, data policy, and cookies policy, and to seeing improved ads based on apps and websites you use. Learn more about these updates and how to control the ads you see.

Read Column →

UPDATED WITH WINNER: LitReactor's Flash Fiction Smackdown: January Edition

January 30th, 2015

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 →

5 Non-Writerly Apps For Writers

January 30th, 2015

At this stage in human evolution, we've become a society dependent on handheld computers and smartphones to keep us on task, on time, and informed. And while it's generally a good idea to disconnect from net-based distractions while in the act of writing, these technological advancements are just as beneficial to writers as anyone else. I've covered numerous iOS and Android applications geared specifically toward writers of various ilk, from prose fiction authors to screenwriters, playwrights, and journalists.

Read Column →

Screenwriting: Nail The Subtext

January 29th, 2015

Oh, subtext, you’re a fickle wretch.  By definition, you must not be written or spoken. You’re invisible on the page.  As soon as you start to become too obvious, you cease to exist. Nonetheless, your absence is keenly felt.  A screenplay without subtext is all surface, no depth.  There’s little substance to the story, less resonance.

Read Column →

Off The Grid Reads: 'The Weird' Edited By Ann & Jeff VanderMeer

January 29th, 2015

So you've finally had it. You're sick of the grind: the job, email, Facebook, Twitter, text messages, television constantly trying to sell you shit you don't need. When you were first starting out, you never pictured your life turning out the way it has. You always thought you'd live close to the land, maybe farm and hunt your food, build your house with your own hands, fall in love with a woman who had the same ideals. But nope, nothing of the sort has happened.

Read Column →

The Lost Boys of YA: Are Young Men Reading Less?

January 27th, 2015

A friend of mine who recently finished six years of military service used to read on the bus between training exercises. It seems like a pretty innocuous thing to do. The ride from one base to another was four hours long, so he brought a book to entertain himself. At least, that was his original intent when he started out as a 19-year-old private. He quickly found that his peers viewed reading as a strictly feminine activity, and a laughable one at that. Tired of the constant harassment that it provoked, he eventually stopped bringing books on the bus.

Read Column →

10 Books I Will Finally Read This Year

January 27th, 2015

How long is your to-read list?  Mine grows by the minute, and with so many new books being added daily, I've left some titles hanging there for years. Well, 2015 is the year I save ten of these cast-off classics. What follows is the list of books I will finally read this year. 

Read Column →