Columns

The Escaping Character

June 13th, 2012

Ever wonder what it means when a writer says they created a character that “ran away with the story?” Or how some writers claim they let their characters “dictate the terms” of the narrative?

Read Column →

Book vs. Book: Invisible Monsters vs. Invisible Monsters Remix

June 13th, 2012

This is it, fans of transgressive transgender madness, the moment you've all been waiting for. The debauched gods of literature have heard your prayers and your RLE (Remix-Less Existence) is about to come to an end. That's because this month sees the release of a radically refashioned 'director's cut' of one of your favorite Chuck Palahniuk novels. I'm sure most of you know the backstory, but for those who don't, I'll be cribbing from my own biography of the man.

Read Column →

Seriously Though, Do I Really Need An MFA?

June 12th, 2012

Master of Fine Arts. Has quite a ring to it, right? To be a master of anything sounds like a nice deal. To many a writer, an MFA program is the Shangri-La of instruction: A place to spend two years with nothing but an intense, laser-like focus on the craft of writing.  But is a graduate degree really the ultimate end of all writerly pursuits? It's not like you can't be a writer unless you have an MFA, right? Hemingway didn't even go to college. 

Read Column →

Five Fabulous Female Fantasy Forces

June 12th, 2012

I was a bit dismayed after I wrote my column on non-traditional fantasy settings to realize, looking back at it, that there were no women on the list. To be honest, I was thinking of worlds rather than writers, but I don’t want to contribute to any notion that it’s because there aren’t enough women fantasy writers hitting it out of the park. So I thought that I would turn the spotlight onto just that - women fantasy writers who are writing amazing work.

Read Column →

Don't Write Comics: How To Write Comics Part 1

June 11th, 2012

Don't Write Comics is a multi-part essay about writing comics, understanding what your options are, finding the right artist, and everything you need to do to get a strong comic book pitch package together.

Read Column →

Ask The Lit Coach: The Difference Between Brand and Platform and Why Every Author Needs Both

June 11th, 2012

PLATFORM: All the ways in which you are visible to and communicate with your target audience.  AUTHOR BRAND: An author's perceived image and identity.   Rather than the typical Q&A we normally do on 'Ask the Lit Coach,' we're going to focus on THE two things, aside from actual talent, that will make you, the author, appealing to agents, editors, publishers, and most importantly, your readers - Platform and Brand.

Read Column →

10 Lessons Even You Can Learn From Fifty Shades Of Grey

June 8th, 2012

By now you have definitely heard of, formed an opinion about, and possibly even read Fifty Shades Of Grey, the kinked-out Twilight fan-fic BDSM trilogy that has Christian panties in a twist and schoolmarms giggling behind their Kindles. It is also a a bestseller that has managed to move over ten million units. Ten. Million. Who cares, you ask?

Read Column →

Ray Bradbury, Mr. Electrico, and Me

June 8th, 2012

There are people who you may never meet, but still have a profound effect on you. There are people who can reach through time and space to touch you, and change you forever, sometimes only with words. Sometimes especially with words. Ray Bradbury was one of those people for me, and probably for a lot of people. Many people publicly expressed their feelings about Bradbury after his death on June 6, including President Barrack Obama who said this:

Read Column →

The Top 10 Worst Romance Covers

June 8th, 2012

Romance novels have notoriously terrible covers. Is it intentional? It must be, right? For that, I sort of love them. They're eye-catching and their genres are easily defined. That's the pinnacle of advertising success! If you're looking for a romance novel, you don't have to read the spine or the summary to know you've found one. Just grab the most hideously covered books at the store and you're set. So yeah, they're all bad - but these are the worst.

Read Column →

Library Love: Don’t Leave It All Behind: Track Information That Matters

June 7th, 2012

The information age comes with a lot of baggage! I am constantly amazed by how many emails, sound files, photos, videos, articles, and websites flow through my day. I always say that working in a research library is like standing in the middle of a raging river – it’s bigger than me, I can’t control it, and there’s no way I can be aware of everything happening around me. The Internet is the same. Every time you turn on your computer or unlock your phone, you are wading into the middle of that river. Accept this fact; it will make your life easier.

Read Column →