Columns

Should You Be Reading Archie Comics?

August 7th, 2014

Archie comics were never COMICS, comics to me. There was a significant lack of super powers. The characters spent very little time foiling schemes that could be described as "maniacal," "dastardly," or even good, old-fashioned "evil." I don't know that I ever saw Archie comics anywhere BUT the checkout aisle at the grocery store.

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Showrunners: The Authors of TV Land

August 6th, 2014

Vince Gilligan and Bryan Cranston, courtesy of Variety.com If you've studied film at all, you know about auteur theory. For the uninitiated, the concept originated in the pages of Cahiers du cinéma—a publication founded in 1951 by members of the French New Wave filmmaking movement, one of the first magazines dedicated to film criticism.

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Path to Publication 3.0: I Have A Book Deal Again!

August 5th, 2014

After being dropped by my first publisher, I've found a new home—my debut novel, New Yorked, will be published by Polis Books in June 2015. Once again, I will attempt to chronicle my path to publication... As faithful readers of the previous incarnation of this column might know, June was a real kick in the teeth.

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The Perils of Reading in Public

August 5th, 2014

It’s a risky endeavor to take a book out of the house. Finding a quiet moment in bed is relatively easy, and the couch is always happy to oblige a book binge, but the outside world is a tough and unforgiving place for readers. The logic behind trying to read in public is obvious. Potentially calm moments abound: long plane rides, even longer little league games, visits to the beach, waiting in the car during a shopping trip. Even the simple desire to get some sun with a minimum of physical exertion is a perfectly valid reason to grab a book and a picnic blanket.

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Better With Age: Giving Elderly Characters the Spotlight

August 4th, 2014

Every living person on the planet has experienced something of childhood, but the same can’t be said for old age. It’s an acquired condition, and a privilege (or a curse) that only those who have passed through many seasons of victories and hardships can claim. 

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LitReactor Community Spotlight: July 2014

August 4th, 2014

So raise your hand if you're tuckered out from all the reading this month. It's okay if you don't want to, because circus music has been coming from inside my walls all night, and that's a more pressing concern for me at the moment.

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Listen Up, Nerds! 5 Lessons from 30 Rock on How to Make Your Characters Down with the In-Crowd

July 31st, 2014

I'm not a creative type like you, with your work sneakers and your left-handedness.                                                                                  

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UPDATED WITH WINNER - LitReactor's Flash Fiction Smackdown: July Edition

July 31st, 2014

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 similar. 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.

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Literary Matchmaking: 5 Fantasy Couples

July 31st, 2014

Have you ever fancied yourself a matchmaker? I certainly have, but most of the time I’m a little off with my suggestions. Okay, way off. But when it comes to literary characters, perhaps I can redeem myself? Even though they aren’t written into the same narrative, I think some characters would really get along, if only they could meet. Imagine new stories written, with both likely and unlikely character pairings. Your favorite characters would have a chance to develop relationships. How would it go? Let’s do a little matchmaking and see!

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The Rookie's Guide to The LitReactor Writer's Workshop: Short Story vs. Essay/Non-Fiction

July 30th, 2014

By request, we're addressing a question that has come up from time to time regarding the critiquing process as it relates to short stories vs. essays/non-fiction. Fortunately, a lot of the groundwork has already been laid out in a prior column, which you can read HERE. It's a nice little refresher on how the LitReactor workshop functions and how to get the most out of it.

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