Columns

LURID: Boss Prophets - the Cult Narrative in Fact and Fiction

June 11th, 2013

LURID: vivid in shocking detail; sensational, horrible in savagery or violence, or, a guide to the merits of the kind of Bad Books you never want your co-workers to know you're reading.

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Questions Every Writer Should Be Asking But Isn't

June 10th, 2013

Despite the overwhelming amount of information available to writers online and on the shelf about how to land an agent and how to publish, despite the many exciting and not so thrilling changes we’ve faced in the industry these last few years, despite the many new technological developments affecting how we read and spread the word about great books, emerging writers are still coming to author, writing and professional trade publishing events with the same goal in mind – how can I get my work in front of a decision maker?

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Recap: Game of Thrones 3.10 - Mhysa

June 10th, 2013

This is going to contain spoilers for this episode, and also for the books. Deal with it. And that's the season, folks. 

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Literature's Ten Most Disturbing Sociopaths

June 7th, 2013

How many times have you imagined smashing someone's windshield with a tire iron after they cut you off in traffic? Or stabbing your boss with a sharp pencil when he denies you that raise yet again? Or conning your way into a carefree life of luxury? We all have dark urges—at least I hope it's not just me or this is going to be one seriously awkward article—but very few of us act on them, which might be why we love reading about people who do. Many sociopaths are charming, witty, and intelligent.

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Men (and Women) of Steel: Supermen and Superwomen in Fantasy

June 7th, 2013

Image via desura.com

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It's Ladies Night and X-Men Drink Free

June 6th, 2013

Brian Wood's new X-Men book (X-Men #1), the last of the "Marvel Now!" titles to launch, debuted last week to much fanfare and huge critical acclaim. I count myself among its fans. I reviewed the issue for Comic Book Resources and felt crazily fulfilled to be able to do so, because in so many ways—from the creative team to the cast—this was a comic book I'd been waiting nearly 20 years for.

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Short Cuts: 7 Twitter Tips for Writers

June 6th, 2013

‘If I’d had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.’ As Blaise Pascal noted, for most writers, brevity is a challenge. But if the idea of condensing your epic-fantasy-vampire-dragon saga into a mere 350,000 words curdles your brain, how much more bowel-wrenching is the concept of thrilling the world with a mere 140 characters?

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Why Do We Read Novelizations?

June 5th, 2013

Big Hollywood movies arrive in theaters with an entourage of tie-in merchandise at their heels, ready to lure you in with their enticing buy-ability. Aside from action figures, apparel and the endless other products we expect each summer, studios partner with book publishers to produce one of the more intriguing film extension items out there: the novelization.

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6 Ways You're Botching Your Dialogue

June 5th, 2013

[Image's facepalm shot courtesy of Striatic.] You want to write better dialogue. You've learned a few tricks of the trade. Great work so far, but are you unwittingly sabotaging your work, leaving only stilted, one-dimensional dialogue for your readers? Here are six painfully common ways writers botch their dialogue.

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The Absence of Story in "Star Trek Into Darkness"

June 4th, 2013

By now you've no doubt seen Star Trek: Into Darkness. If not, read no further, for here there be SPOILERS. I would warn you that I will be discussing the movie in detail and might possibly give away aspects of the story, but that is a singularly unnecessary concern with this film. As cinematic adventures go, it is sufficiently fun and exciting, but it fails to delve deeper into the story, which is something Star Trek should always endeavor to do.

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