Bearskin: A Fast Read 20 Years in the Making
The story of a fifty-four year old’s debut novel. Twenty-plus years of writing, revising, letting it sit, then rewriting and re-revising some more.
Storyville: Creating Tension in Your Fiction
How do you create tension in your fiction? Here are some tips.
Make Your Characters More Interesting With Lies
By Peter Derk
Ask yourself: When's the last time I had one of my characters tell a real whopper?
The Two Lukes: Comparing and Contrasting 'Dark Empire' and 'The Last Jedi'
By Bart Bishop
A look back at the portrayal of Luke Skywalker in 'Dark Empire' as compared to 'The Last Jedi.'
Write Who You Don’t Know?
By Kat Hausler
'Retrograde' author Kat Hausler ponders the question: Should you base your characters on people you know? Well, yes and no...
The Birth of Jace Salome
Barker sets his protagonist down in a world peppered predominantly with men; men who bulge with maleness and refuse to stop spraying their eau de testosterone everywhere.
Storyville: Horror Story vs. Horror Novel
How do you know if your horror project is a story, novella, or novel? Some quick tips.
Populating the Nightmare: Creating Characters
By Jeff Noon
Part 6 of Jeff's 10 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
Storyville: Young Protagonists—MG vs. YA vs. Adult
Some advice for writing young protagonists for Middle Grade, YA, and adult fiction.
Storyville: Are You Unique or Just Difficult with Your Fiction?
Make sure you're not being difficult and vague when trying to write unique stories. Here are some tips.
Want a Masterclass in Character Development? Better Call Saul!
Better Call Saul's pilot, "Uno," focuses on building characters in surprising and patient ways, emphasizing the creation of curiosity over providing the audience with exposition.
Storyville: Writing Compelling Dust Jacket Copy
Tips for writing compelling dust jacket copy that makes the back of your book sing.
The Violence Yet to Come: Breaking Down the 'Taboo' Pilot
A craft-based look at the pilot episode of FX's 'Taboo.'
Representation Matters: A Literary Call To Arms
Representation is key to good writing. This is true whether you're a novelist or a playwright; whether you work in television or in game development. All narrative has the power to impact culture.
What 'Westworld' Can Teach Us About Writers
By BH Shepherd
What the characters of "Westworld," some of them writers, can teach us about writers.
The Mini-Guide To Writing Sex For Your Genre
By Holly Slater
There are approximately a zillion questions to consider when it comes to the craft of sex in fiction. One of the most important being: Does your intended audience expect, crave, or even allow sex?
10 Things We Can Learn About Writing from 'You’re the Worst'
We dig deep into Stephen Falk's complicated FXX series.
What Works & What Doesn't: 'Forrest Gump'
Films are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. And you never know why the hell some flavors are so beloved either...
Buy Your Villain a Birthday Present: 5 More Development Exercises
Here are a few more prompts to get the mind juices going as you sit down and get to know your characters:
What 'Stranger Things' Can Teach Us About Characterization
Not only is "Stranger Things" great television, it's also a required lesson in quality characterization.
