Chuck Palahniuk's 2014-2015 Essays
In:
Abstracts, Character, Dialogue, Grammar, Literary Devices, Narrator, Objects, Phrases, Plot, POV, Research, Rewriting, Structure, Verbs, Voice, Word Play, Workshop
Chuck surprised us all with a new batch of essays for 2014 & 2015! There is no exact timeline on how these will roll out, so just keep an eye on the site.
Write Or Go Home
In:
Character, Dialogue, Grammar, Narrator, Plot, POV, Research, Rewriting, Setting, Structure, Theme, Vocabulary, Voice
Essays from the doctor himself, Stephen Graham Jones. Stephen is a critically acclaimed author and instructor here at LitReactor.
Notes on the Craft
In:
Dialogue, Literary Devices
Concrete, practical methods for improving your writing.
36 Writing Essays by Chuck Palahniuk
36 exclusive craft essays on writing you won't find anywhere else online. The knowledge here is equivalent to what you'd get in an MFA program.
Storyville: Tropes As a Jumping-Off Point
In:
Research
How to use tropes as a jumping-off point for your storytelling.
To Carrie White, Signed with Pig's Blood
In:
Character
In honor of Stephen King's birthday, here is a letter to one of my favorite characters of his, Carrie White.
Storyville: Researching Your Novel—for Depth, Emotion, and Authority
In:
Research
Tips on how to research your next novel.
Storyville: Literary Devices—10 Common Writing Techniques and How to Use Them
In:
Literary Devices
Ten literary devices to help with your fiction.
Should You Join A Writers Organization?
By Cina Pelayo
In:
Research
A general overview of 4 of the biggest to help with your decision.
Using Peace, Quiet, and Introspection to Intensify Your Writing
In:
Structure
How those quiet moments may end up being some of the most revealing and powerful in your story.
How and Why I Built a Bookselling Monster
By Peter Derk
In:
Live Reading
Yes, a literal bookselling monster. Named Archivos.
Storyville: Depression as Catharsis in Your Fiction
In:
Voice
How depression can lead to catharsis in your storytelling.
Storyville: Stop Pulling on Threads
In:
Rewriting
Advice on how to stop destroying your work-in-progress by pulling on threads.
Dear Charlotte Perkins Gilman
In:
Abstracts
An open letter to Charlotte Perkins Gilman that reflects on postpartum and her story "The Yellow Wallpaper."
Does Writing Fiction Make You More Empathetic?
By Joshua Isard
Science has proven that reading makes you more empathetic. But does writing?
Storyville: What We Can Learn From Reading Bad Fiction
What can a bad story teach us? Turns out, it's a lot.
"Lack of Character Development" is Not Always A Problem
By Peter Derk
In:
Character
Characters don't need to develop all the time. We're fine.
Storyville: Anthology Calls—How to Write to Theme, and Stand Out in a Crowd
In:
Research
Writing to an anthology theme while trying to stand out in a crowd.
Taxonomies for Storytelling
Dissecting the threads that make up the tapestry.
Fostering Inclusivity: Sensitivity Readings and Content Warnings
By Lor Gislason
In:
Research
Lor discusses two tools to create a more inclusive experience: sensitivity readings and content warnings.
6 Books with Warped Timelines to Celebrate Groundhog Day, Bill-Murray-style
In:
Structure
It's Groundhog Day, the perfect excuse for you to read about time travel and warped timelines.
Storyville: Dissecting Body, Mind, and Soul
Dissecting body, mind, and soul in our storytelling.
Dialog Journals and Writing Good Dialog
By Peter Derk
Start a dialog journal, fix up your dialog, write better characters, and basically rule the world.
You’re A Writer, But Is MasterClass Right For You?
In:
Cliche
MasterClass offers numerous courses for aspiring writers. But are such classes worth the investment? This article seeks to address that concern and give you a brief overview of some of the sessions.
