Columns

What I Learned at Gotham Writers Workshop's First-Ever Writing Conference

December 4th, 2019

On October 25th, I gathered a little tote bag and hopped a train from Queens to the Ace Hotel in midtown Manhattan. There, in a conference room in the basement, I found the Gotham Writers Conference. The conference, the first one ever put on by Gotham Writers Workshop, was a two-day event. The first day, the only one I was able to attend, was open to everyone who felt like paying and attending. It consisted of five panels and talks, as well as a happy hour at the end.

Read Column →

Storyville: Using Your Family to Tell Dark Stories

December 3rd, 2019

Oh, the number of times I’ve killed off my wife and kids in a story or novel. I mean, Disintegration alone! But that’s not the only role your family can play in the telling of dark stories. There are many ways you can use the people around you to provide depth, meaning, emotion, and authority. Let me toss out some ideas and see if they can help you go deeper as well.

Read Column →

What Does Anne Patchett Have in Common with Britney Spears?

December 2nd, 2019

It’s December 2nd. We're just two days into the month and there are already so many birthdays to celebrate. From Green Bay Packer Aaron Rogers to Nelly Furtado, Britany Spears, Lucy Liu, and even the Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez (okay, maybe not so much celebrating that jerk), there is something special about this day.

Read Column →

Quit Your Job, Write Full Time

November 27th, 2019

I’m quitting my job to write. I’m giddy just typing that phrase, even though it’s not true. Maybe it should be in italics. Or maybe I should add "someday" to the end. In italics. For such a common dream, it’s so unattainable. So taboo to even discuss. It's italics-level taboo.  It’s laughable, right? If someone said this to you, would you have any reaction other than, “Good fucking luck”? 

Read Column →

Her Dark Materials: Raising Inner Demons To Craft Complex Villains

November 26th, 2019

Kids in cages. Governments suppressing free thought. Old men whispering in studies about science and the fate of the world. The latest adaptation of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials is underway, and while the dust is still settling on whether or not it'll be the next Game of Thrones, the show is undoubtedly timely.

Read Column →

Cancel Culture Is Ruining Publishing!

November 25th, 2019

Ha! That's not true. I was just messing with you.

Read Column →

Have you Wished Ishmael Beah a Happy Birthday Today?

November 22nd, 2019

Ishmael Beah turns 39 on November 23rd.  Nonfiction isn’t always favored. It’s not what most people think of when they imagine great literature nowadays. Writers and readers run around quoting Hemmingway, Steinbeck, and Bradbury. Fiction hosts the wonders of possibility. It offers the benefits of escapism mixed with intellectual inquiry, but it often lacks a fully grounded perspective that represents the better parts of real journeys.

Read Column →

The Worst Fiverr Services for Writers

November 20th, 2019

A bit back I wrote a column about $5 dollar book covers. The results were...mixed. At best. What I’ve discovered is that there are EVEN WORSE author services available on Fiverr. Yes, even worse than terrible graphic design, a sin that damns your indie book to the worst, most indifferent-est circle of hell. Which terrible services am I talking about? 

Read Column →

Book vs Film: "In The Tall Grass"

November 18th, 2019

It's been another banner year for Stephen King. He has a new novel out, The Institute, Castle Rock came back to Hulu for its second season, and three major motion pictures based on his work hit the theaters—Pet Sematary, It: Chapter 2, and Doctor Sleep. 2019 has also been kind to King's son, Joe Hill, an equally great and prolific author.

Read Column →

Storyville: Using Rituals to Make Your Stories More Believable

November 14th, 2019

When you write your scary stories, consider the different ways that ritual can inform and add authority to your tale. Think of myths and folklore, spells and prayers, ceremonies. Look at the voodoo, witchcraft, and sorcery that might inform your story. This can really help to add depth, setting, sensory details, and atmosphere to your work. Let me give you a few examples of how I’ve incorporated this into my work.

Read Column →