The Top 10 Fictional Antiheroes

Column by Meredith Borders
February 10, 2012 (23) comments
The antihero is complex and unknowable, and because of that, he is fascinating in ways a pure hero or villain could never be. Read on for ten of the greatest antiheroes in literature.

Behold! The Unfilmable: David Mitchell's 'Cloud Atlas'

Column by Joshua Chaplinsky
February 10, 2012 (4) comments
Is it possible to make a successful film adaptation of David Mitchell's post modern masterpiece? We'll know soon enough.

The Myth of Writer’s Block

Column by Jon Gingerich
February 9, 2012 (10) comments
An understanding of how the human mind operates proves that a temporary lack of creative ideas is not the result of “writer's block,” but the result of something else entirely.

Un-Building Blocks: What to Do When You Can’t Do It

Column by Ed Sikov
February 9, 2012 (9) comments
A humorous look at every writer's worst nightmare: writer's block.

Beyond the Zombie: Something Ominous is Missing from Horror Fiction

Column by Jack Joslin
February 8, 2012 (18) comments
An analysis of what's missing in our conception of "horror" — should we drop zombies and vampires and return to the essence of being terrified?

The Curse of the Second Novel: Four Ways Not To Fuck Up Book Number Two

Column by Cath Murphy
February 8, 2012 (1) comments
Writing a bad book after a great debut is so common it has a name: Second Novel Syndrome. Here are four reasons well known authors fell victim to the Curse of the Second Novel.

Ask The Lit Coach: "Is It Possible To Sell A Novel On Three Sample Chapters?"

Column by Erin Reel
February 6, 2012 (5) comments
Is it possible to sell a novel on three sample chapters? Is it possible to earn an advance to pay for a year of living expenses? Find out in Issue 9 of Ask The Lit Coach.

hitRECord: Where the Wild Things Are

Column by Joe Daly
February 6, 2012 (1) comments
From his visionary and innovative online community, hitRECord, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is changing the way we look at the Internet from "Hey, look at me," to "Hey, let's do this."

LURID: Crazy, in Love.

Column by Karina Wilson
February 3, 2012 (9) comments
Worried about your cute crush crossing the line into De Clerambault's Syndrome? Let Lurid keep you clear of restraining orders in the lead-up to Valentine's Day.

The Girlie Show: Are Literary Women Finally Getting The Recognition They Deserve?

Column by Hanna Brooks Olsen
February 3, 2012 (7) comments
In 2010, a series of infographics reminded the literary and publishing world how male-dominated the industry is. Does the success of books written by and featuring females in 2011 change all that?