Columns

Writing Beyond the Good/Bad Character Dichotomy

November 26th, 2012

Image by Koolshooters Maybe it’s an inevitable result of our western value system, but a lot of writers have a tendency to put their characters on a sort of sliding moral scale. “Good” characters on one end, “bad” characters on the other.

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Ask the Agent: Erotic Zombie Thrillers! And More

November 26th, 2012

Navigating the rough terrain of today’s publishing industry shouldn’t be a solo event. This week in Ask the Agent, I’ll explore and dissect a few of the industry’s mysteries, straight from the shoulder.

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Etymological Evolution: 12 Words Altered By Historical Misuse

November 23rd, 2012

They say two wrongs don't make a right, but what about countless wrongs piled one on top of another like corpses on the battlefield? Please don't misconstrue-- this isn't some crackpot justification of genocide. We're not talking the 2+2=5 of politics or religion, here. "How many lights do you see?" "I see four lights." "No, there are five." Nothing like that. What we're talking about is the evolution of words over time-- specifically due to their chronic misuse, mispronunciation, and misspelling.

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Technology and the Art of the Interview

November 23rd, 2012

Photo courtesy of Joe Daly As a rock journalist, I have enjoyed the heady buzz of interviewing some fairly notorious figures in music. I've camped out in the studio with Slash, hobnobbed with Black Sabbath on Sunset Strip, taught Tracey Chapman how to drink Cosmos (I can't believe I just admitted that), and chilled out with Jimmy Page in the VIP room of a bitterly trendy Chicago nightclub.

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8 Signs It's Time to Scrap Your Writing Project

November 21st, 2012

Header image and flowchart by Rob Young No one starts as a brilliant writer. Before we reach any visible level of success, we leave a trail of bloody, mangled manuscripts behind us. It's only once we admit our shame in this past work that we can move on to pieces with greater potential. But where is that dividing line? At what point should you revise your project and when is it time to throw the whole thing under your lawnmower?

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Your Favorite Book Sucks: 'Life of Pi'

November 21st, 2012

‘This book will make you believe in God.’ It’s a big claim to make. If asked which book was responsible for the highest number of Road to Damascus moments, most people would probably suggest the Bible, or the Koran, or even The Tao of Pooh.

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On The Down Low And Very Hush-Hush: A James Ellroy Primer

November 20th, 2012

…every interview I give is a chance to puncture the myth I've created about my work and refine it.  Gather around you commies, pervs, pederasts, peepers, weenie waggers, dimebag dirtballs, junkies and used car salesmen.

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Do You Have To Suffer For Your Art? Or Can Happy Writers Be Successful?

November 20th, 2012

There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. —Ernest Hemingway

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How To Format A Magazine List

November 19th, 2012

A handy 'How To' for our editorial team.  This guide walks you through the steps on how to create a Magazine list (this includes Top 10s and any list over 5 items in length!) It's very important you follow these steps to a 't,' in this order.  Don't deviate and jump ahead a step. *********

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Storyville: Ten Awesome Authors You've Never Heard Of Before

November 19th, 2012

For this column, I thought I’d try something a little different as we get towards the end of the year. There will be all kinds of “top ten” lists coming out in November and December, so I’m going to cobble together some of my favorite authors, the ones that I’m betting most of you have never heard of before.

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