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Top 10 YA Books That Should Be Adapted for Film
May 31st, 2012
There seems to be a flaw in the human brain when it comes to film adaptations of books. I say this because movies rarely, if ever, turn out to be better than their literary source material. And yet, every time I finish an amazing novel, I immediately start praying that it will be made into a film. Seriously, brain, what's up with that?
Read Column →UPDATED WITH WINNER: LitReactor's Flash Fiction Smackdown: May Edition
May 31st, 2012
Flash fiction: A style of fictional literature marked by extreme brevity. Welcome to the first installment of LitReactor's Flash Fiction Smackdown. This shall be a monthly bout of writing prowess, in which you'll be challenged to thrill us in 250 words or less. And to the victor go the spoils!
Read Column →Six Tough Truths About Self-Publishing (That The Advocates Never Seem To Talk About)
May 31st, 2012
Self-publishing advocates would have you believe that even considering a publishing deal is idiotic, when you can just put the work out yourself and become the master of your own literary destiny.
Read Column →A Study In Sherlock
May 30th, 2012
One of the most popular character models in literature is the Christ-like figure. Books, television and film are riddled with this template, from Jim Casey in The Grapes of Wrath to Neo in The Matrix trilogy; characters marked by the performance of miracles, displays of kindness and forgiveness, and more often than not, self-sacrifice.
Read Column →Indie Press Spotlight: Two Dollar Radio
May 30th, 2012
Website - Twitter - Facebook - Youtube
Read Column →LURID: Jaws - Back In The Water
May 29th, 2012
LURID: vivid in shocking detail; sensational, horrible in savagery or violence, or, a twice-monthly guide to the merits of the kind of Bad Books you never want your co-workers to know you're reading.
Read Column →Ask The Lit Coach: "Is It Normal For An Agent To Request Changes And Then Pass Withou Offering Representation?" and More
May 29th, 2012
Question from John H. Recently a literary agent requested my full manuscript and after reading it, wanted me to make some changes. I made the changes he suggested and sent the revised manuscript back to him. A few weeks later, he passed on the manuscript, saying it wasn't for him. During this time, I never saw an offer for representation or agent contract. Is this normal?
Read Column →Gear Up! It's The Top Ten Technologies in Science Fiction
May 25th, 2012
Listen, I love Science Fiction for all the highbrow reasons that you do. The genre provides readers with nothing less than a chance to project humanity beyond our current physical, spatial, and mental restraints. Having said that, sometimes it's really fun to just freak out about the crazy cool technologies on display. Who hasn't pretended they had a lightsaber, or an Orgasmatron?
Read Column →Ten Authors Who Write Great Dialogue
May 25th, 2012
Dialogue is a tricky beast. There are so many writers who can craft stunning descriptive passages, entirely believable characters and heart-pounding action sequences, but whose dialogue falls flat and pale. Here are ten authors who can create a conversation that crackles.
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