Columns

Would Jane Austen Write A Blog? (and other things writers probably shouldn't do)

November 16th, 2012

Twitter, NaNoWriMo and blogging are activities writers now take for granted. But spin back two decades and blogging would have been easily confused with something people did behind the steamy windshields of cars. It's hard to imagine how we spent our time in the dark days before Wordpress; it's even harder to work out whether the time and effort spent on some of the activities we take for granted is justified.

Read Column →

10 Must Read Indie Comics!

November 16th, 2012

Let’s be clear. When I say “Indie” I mean anything that isn’t DC or Marvel, and when I say “Comics,” I mean monthly comics, because as much as I adore graphic novels and trades, there’s still something old school and fantastic about picking up part of an ongoing story once a month and being forced to wait for the next delicious piece. Here are 10 indie comics that are getting it very very right.

Read Column →

Cozy Up With Cool Weather Reads

November 15th, 2012

Temperatures are dropping, and for me that always marks a change in my reading habits. In the summer months I want to dive into something slick and scandalous, something that can keep my attention as the sun pummels down and broils the very air. Namely, murder mysteries. Bring me your Hercule Poirots, your Flavia de Luces, your Philip Marlowes, your Sherlock Holmeses. Michael Connelly spins a good summer month yarn. Christopher Fowler, Sue Grafton, Stephen King, Charlaine Harris, Georges Simenon, Dorothy Sayers, Wilkie Collins – these are the authors of sun and surf!

Read Column →

LURID: In Cold Blood - The Art of Murder

November 15th, 2012

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. I wanted to produce a journalistic novel, something on a large scale that would have the credibility of fact, the immediacy of film, the depth and freedom of prose and the precision of poetry. — Truman Capote

Read Column →

10 Things You Should Know About Plurals

November 14th, 2012

When you want to refer to more than one of a particular noun, you add an s and BINGO, you have a plural noun. Easy, peezy. Right? Of course not! English is one of the most irregular languages; every so-called rule of grammar, spelling, or pronunciation seems destined to be broken. In the English language, there are lots of ways to get it wrong, so here’s a refresher on 10 things you should know about plurals. And pay attention because the rules here are iffy.

Read Column →

Library Love: Library Spaces In A Virtual World

November 13th, 2012

Readers have probably coupled books with hot drinks since the first bible came off the Gutenberg press in the 1450’s. The two things just go together. For a long time, drinks were prohibited from libraries, and that was a fussy mistake. Rules like that simply ask for deliberate disobedience, which is why patrons would check the books out, take them home, and return them full of coffee rings and dessert crumbs. Libraries were asking for it.

Read Column →

Ask the Agent: Wooing Agents, Focus, and More

November 12th, 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 two of the industry’s mysteries, straight from the shoulder.

Read Column →

From Page To Screen: The 10 Best Film Adaptations Of Classic Novels

November 9th, 2012

This month, Joe Wright’s adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s novel Anna Karenina hits theaters and has already begun to collect divisive reviews on the film festival circuit. Much like Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, critics argue that Wright’s lush visual style is at odds with a fair and respectful adaptation of such beloved source material.

Read Column →

8 Words to Seek and Destroy in Your Writing

November 9th, 2012

Creating powerful prose requires killing off the words, phrases, and sentences that gum up your text. While a critical eye and good judgment are key in this process, some terms almost always get in the way. Here are eight words or phrases that should be hunted down in your story and deleted with extreme prejudice.

Read Column →

Technology: Help Or Hindrance To Writers?

November 8th, 2012

My brother is texting me from Colorado about the election. There are approximately 800 more pressing things I should be doing, but I go back and forth with him about the vote on whether to legalize weed in his state. Between texts, I try to respond to an email but my keyboard has decided that it hates the letters G, T, B, and N, making it impossible for me to tell anyone “no” or even “maybe.”

Read Column →