Columns

Celebrating Dashiell Hammett: The 'Thin Man' Himself

May 27th, 2020

Header and author photo via Wikipedia Dashiell Hammett, the hard-drinking ex-detective credited with helping found and popularize the crime genre known as “hardboiled,” would likely be celebrating his 126th birthday this May 27 with a shot if he was still around.

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A Cheat Sheet to This Year's Nebula Awards Nominees

May 26th, 2020

  Another drumroll, please — the Nebula Awards are almost upon us! Alongside the Hugo Awards, the Nebulas are one of the biggest deals in the SFF world: they’re basically equivalent to the genre’s Academy Awards, as members of the SFWA themselves vote for the winners.

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Skipp's Self-Isolating ABC’S of the COVID-19 (Stage One)

May 25th, 2020

Alphabet photo by Magda Ehlers AUTHOR’S NOTE — If there’s one symptom of the coronavirus that’s spread faster than the virus itself, it’s writer’s block through the writer’s community. You don’t even have to catch the bug itself, cuz it’s already done a number on our heads.

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Can Townies Write?

May 22nd, 2020

Original images by Michael Morse & Polina Zimmerman You want to write? Are you moving to New York? L.A.? Headed to an MFA program somewhere? You’re staying in the town where you grew up? Can that work? Writing and Publishing Right off the bat, yes, you can stay in your hometown and write. Publishing, that’s another story.

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Conflict Without Violence: How to Add More Depth To Your Fiction

May 21st, 2020

I'm going to give you three scenarios. In the first I'm laying in bed in the dead dark of 3 A.M when suddenly the three sleeping dogs around me begin to bark. I see the silhouette of a man at the window slip away, and I'm unable to sleep for the rest of the night.

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Storyville: Turning Your Obsessions Into Fiction

May 20th, 2020

I want you to take a few moments to look back over your life and consider the things that you are obsessed with, or WERE obsessed with. Those interests, addictions, hobbies, jobs, and skills can really help to create stories that have a strong sense of authority, riddled with details that somebody outside of those habits just can’t get to. Let’s go deeper.

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The Gabino Iglesias Online MFA: Third Semester

May 19th, 2020

Original image by mentatdgt You started this MFA with certain preconceived notions and now here you are, transformed into someone who knows what's what. We are proud of you and it fills our hearts with joy that you completed/survived your first two semesters. However, we're only halfway there. Welcome to the third semester. This is where we get serious. Here are the classes you'll be taking in the coming six months.

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Patrick Dennis’s Birthday Banquet

May 18th, 2020

“Life is a banquet and most poor bastards are starving to death!” —Patrick Dennis, Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade The strongest, most eccentric female lead ever created was written by a man who struggled with his sexuality and died a servant to the wealthy after becoming the first author in U.S. history to have 3 consecutive books on the New York Times Best Seller list. Why hasn’t Hollywood optioned this story yet?

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Writers, Stop Neglecting Your Author Photos!

May 15th, 2020

Photo by Edu Carvalho Author photos are notoriously awful. For whatever reason—be it our noble dedication to the written word or a dogged desire to remain unseen—the writing community hasn’t taken any cues from the acting community that a headshot is a promotional tool. An amazing picture is a way to sell yourself and your brand.

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The Truths And Lies About An English Degree

May 14th, 2020

High School Seniors: You might be making higher ed decisions right now. Or, you’re supposed to, but you’re reading this instead. I support you either way. College Students: You might be in the middle of a program. Maybe making a tough decision for the fall. Hope this helps. Recent Graduates: On one hand, this will be almost useless for you. Bitter experience will provide all of these lessons. On the other hand, you can reconcile the truth now and save some heartache later.

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