Columns

10 Reasons Your Screenplay Sucks (and how to fix it)

November 30th, 2012

…99 out of 100 screenplays I read [aren't] good enough… When you read a good screenplay, you know it – it’s evident from page one.  The style, the way the words are laid out on the page, the way the story is set up, the grasp of dramatic situation, the introduction of the main character, the basic premise or the problem of the screenplay – it’s all set up in the first few pages of the script. — Syd Field Screenplay (1979)

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

November 30th, 2012

Flash fiction: A style of fictional literature marked by extreme brevity. Welcome to LitReactor's Flash Fiction Smackdown, a monthly bout of writing prowess, in which you're challenged to thrill us in 250 words or less. How It Works We give you a picture. You write a flash fiction piece, using the picture we gave you as inspiration. Put your entry in the comments section. One winner will be picked, and awarded a prize.

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Guess The Plot Episode VI: The Greatest Generation

November 29th, 2012

As the year draws to a close, it's only natural that we all take a moment to reflect on what we've done in the past 366. (Leap year!) Personally, I had successes and setbacks both personal and professional. And yet, one of my biggest accomplishments -- seriously! -- was providing a safe online space for people to extrapolate the plots of forgotten Science Fiction novels based solely on their covers. I didn't expect Guess The Plot to be my legacy, but I'm certainly not complaining either.

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The Internet Has Become The Bookstore Front Window

November 29th, 2012

Back in the "good old days" before Amazon and the Kindle, readers got their hands on new books in one of two places—either the library or a bookstore.

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The Archetype of The Eternal Wanderer

November 27th, 2012

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend the World Fantasy Convention in Toronto. The World Fantasy Convention is a gathering of publishing professionals and fans who generally celebrate fantasy fiction. This year I participated in a panel on the idea of the Eternal Wanderer. Also appearing on the panel were authors Patrick Rothfuss, Robert V. S. Redick, David Levine, and Stefon Mears.

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5 Reasons Why Hawkeye Might Be The Best Superhero Comic I've Ever Read

November 27th, 2012

If you had told me six months ago that the superhero comic I would be most excited about was a monthly featuring Hawkeye in his off hours from being an Avenger, I would have laughed in your face. For starters, I don’t read a ton of Avengers books and even if I did, I’ve never cared one bit about Hawkeye. In fact, my only significant feelings about Hawkeye since the Avengers movie released was grouchiness that he was getting his own ongoing comic while the Black Widow got a (really crappy) mini-series. But I take it all back.

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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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