Columns

The Don'ts And Definitely Don'ts of Writing Stupid-Funny Books

August 11th, 2023

Image: pexels Most of my writing advice is questionable, but if you want advice on writing incredibly stupid, incredibly fun books, I’m your Dingleberry. Or Huckleberry. Whatever berry you like, I’m that. Off to a stupid start already. Let’s keep this rolling. Quick Definition A stupid-fun book is a book that's meant to be fun, funny, and when people call it "stupid," you have to agree, it's pretty stupid.

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Chat GPT Part 2: Unemployed Boogaloo

August 7th, 2023

Images via Cottonbro Studio & Pixabay Previously on Megan: my job as a professional writer was eliminated in favor of utilizing ChatGPT. I was moved to a more admin/technical role for two months. Then I was laid off.

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Authors Slap ChatGPT With A Lawsuit: What Happens Next?

August 4th, 2023

Header images via pixabay 1, 2, 3 Celebrities are walking out of premieres, writers are striking all up and down the streets, and now real writers, book writers (take that, Hollywood!) are getting in on the anti-AI action.

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Grad School Residency IV: Leaving Fear Behind

August 3rd, 2023

I just finished up my fourth grad school residency, and I don’t know how to process it. Truly. I have no idea where to start.

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Spellbinding Reads for Young Adults

August 1st, 2023

Header image by Sierra Koder via Pexels This summer, I’ve been trying to relax—a concept I’m still learning to wrap my head around, admittedly—but one way I’ve decided to do that is to read a bunch of witchy, supernatural middle-grade/ YA graphic novels that bring me joy and make me smile. I wanted a who-will-take-me-to-prom dilemma or does-the-cute-barista-girl-like-me kind of problem.

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When a Town Rallies Around Censorship: Dispatches From The Culture War Frontline

July 31st, 2023

Photo by Markus Spiske via Pexels I know I’m in for an interesting night when an older woman breaks off from a prayer circle as I approach the line waiting to get into the Town Council meeting, and I see it’s my former landlord. Imagine every stereotype fed to you through basic cable reality shows about well-to-do Southern ladies, right down to the dyed blond hair, and you’ll see her.

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How and Why I Built a Bookselling Monster

July 27th, 2023

Writing books is fun. Selling them, THAT SUCKS. For the littler authors among us, it's pathetic. It feels like you’re pushing copies on friends and family too nice to say no, maybe a handful of other writers, and when it comes to reaching a wide audience of people who don’t write themselves and don’t have a biological connection to you, it’s hard to escape the gross feeling of asking someone to spend their hard-earned money on your book about a paranormal investigator who’s terrible at his job.

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Storyville: Depression as Catharsis in Your Fiction

July 26th, 2023

Today we are going to talk about depression and how writing and filtering those emotions into your fiction can be cathartic. But before we get into this, obviously, if you are in a crisis state, and are suicidal, or are hurting yourself, please get help. I do not want you taking on your depression in your fiction if it’s going to backfire or trigger you. Let's continue.

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Timeless Advice: Truths Too Good for TikToks and Tweets

July 21st, 2023

Imagine Ray Bradbury drunk flame trolling on Twitter. J.R.R. Tolkien stitching a TikTok video to dunk on a reviewer that one-star reviewed The Silmarillion. Agatha Christie starting a private Discord Server just to make fun of industry professionals.  We have set the bar really low these days. 

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The Novels of Warhammer 40,000: Where to Begin?

July 20th, 2023

Maybe you’ve seen a rad space marine figurine on a friend’s desk, or stumbled across one of the many books featuring the massive armored warriors on the cover, and your curiosity has been sparked. What is Warhammer 40,000? What are these giants fighting about? You want to know more, and I’m here to tell you there is a lot more to know.

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