Columns

Advice from a 19th Century Governess and How Writing About Writing Has Changed

November 19th, 2021

Writers have always loved to give advice, even when it’s not solicited. This is very apparent if you decide to spend a minute going through Google books using the search terms “writing advice” and restrict results to the 19th century. Looking through writing advice from about 200 years ago is an interesting exercise in gauging how much things have changed while also remaining the same. Do any of these antique words of wisdom still ring true for aspiring writers? 

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How to Come up with the Perfect Story Title

November 18th, 2021

Header image via SHVETS production How do you come up with the perfect story title? I wish I knew! LitReactor should have found someone who knew what they were doing to write this article. Richard Thomas recently wrote an article on multi-pronged story hooks that addressed titles. Definitely check that out.

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Nonfiction Reads to Strengthen Your Relationship with the Witch

November 17th, 2021

November is always a transitional month for me. I’m still clutching onto Halloween with all its tricks and treats, but I’m also reaching for winter, which is probably my second favorite time of year. I love the cold, the magic, the solitude, and I always find myself wanting to curl up with ghost stories and haunted houses, maybe even have a séance and a nice cup of cinnamon spice tea. There’s just something beautifully introspective that happens between Samhain and Yule, and I’m always excited to speak to the shadows and bury the sun.

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Writing Advice For My Younger Self

November 15th, 2021

It’s close to my birthday, which means: I’m a Scorpio, easily the most metal sign. Suck it, Virgos. I take No Nut November as a personal attack.  It’s time to get a little reflective. This year, I looked back at three pieces I wrote in college. I was a baby writer in college, just starting, and it shows.

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Comics vs. Television: "What If...?"

November 12th, 2021

“What if…?” is the foundational question of all fiction. Every story is born when an idea strikes a creator and they ask themselves: “What if… something interesting happened?” And then they must write an answer. That simple but important question is both the title and the premise of one of Marvel’s most consistently interesting comic book series.

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Storyville: The Books You Should Read Every Year

November 11th, 2021

So every year there are certain books I think a writer should read. Some are books they've read before and some are books they've never even seen. Here are my tips, suggestions, and reasons for why writers should do this. Have fun!

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Are You a Writer or an Author?

November 8th, 2021

Image via Andrea Piacquadio This isn’t really a debate, but it may present an internal conundrum for those seeking to create with words. It touches on the notion of identity and self-image. Wordsmiths at all levels of success discuss imposter syndrome, the idea that they don’t belong, that they are pretending to be something they are not. There is a question of worthiness this industry struggles with on a personal level.

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Why We Take Grammar So Personally

November 5th, 2021

In case you don’t believe the headline, here are a few select comments from a LitReactor grammar article: Please, find a new topic in which to meet your deadline and/or quota. You have begun to bore those of us with both sense and sensibility. You and I both know you are a poseur, unfit to preach to others. Mend your ways.

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Lucky me, Lucky You

November 4th, 2021

I went to an energy healer once, years ago, because someone had done me wrong and I could not seem to lift myself above my anger. I thought I would get to tell the healer all the gruesome details, but she didn’t want to hear them. She said, “That’s your story; it’s not you. I’ll be healing you. If you want to change your story, you’ll have to do that yourself.” I didn’t say so, but I was thinking, What do you mean, that’s not me? Of course it’s me! I had to live through it and now I own it!

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The Importance of a Writing Community, and How to Find One

November 3rd, 2021

There’s a hashtag on Twitter. There are Facebook groups, Slack workspaces, and myriads of Discords. There are probably, at this point, daily discussions on social media. There are countless ways to join a writing community, whether it’s strictly virtual, hybrid, or in-person.

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