10 Books For the Flight to Mars
Space exploration has been a popular topic in recent publishing, with a growing number of voices writing on the subject. Here are 10 books to keep you company for the (very) long flight.
Video Games as Literature: A Defense of the Medium
Video games are often looked down on. However, writers and lit enthusiasts can crack open new worlds of stories by appreciating the medium and its unique offerings.
Writing Horror in a Post-Covid World
How do you write dark fiction in a post-Covid world? Be a phoenix, rising from the ashes.
Nothing New Under the Mistletoe - 40 Versions of "A Christmas Carol" You Should Check Out
I love "A Christmas Carol", and I thought I'd seen every version out there—I was wrong.
Storyville: Advanced Storytelling Techniques
Tips for how to execute some advanced storytelling techniques.
Storytelling: This Ain't Church
Always be passionate about what you believe, but write in a way that give readers the benefit of the doubt.
Narrative Detour: Rediscover Your Novel
By BH Shepherd
A fun exercise to help you push forward when writing your novel becomes a slog.
Storyville: Finding Hope in Dark Fiction
It's possible to put hope in your dark fiction, quite possibly leading to a more satisfying experience.
Why Coming of Age Crime Stories Work So Well
The movie adaptation of 'The November Criminals' reminds us that coming of age crime stories are the best kinds of stories.
Storyville: Eight New, Mashed Up Sub-Genres
Some new hybrid narratives to breathe life into your writing.
Beneath the Terminus Stone: Borderlines as a Theme
By Jeff Noon
The final installment of Jeff's 10 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
A Madman Scattering Dust: Time as a Theme
By Jeff Noon
Part 4 of Jeff's 6 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
Return of the Son of Twilight Zone: Dusk as a Theme
By Jeff Noon
Part 3 of Jeff's 6 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
A Head Full of Tropes: Finding New Life in Dead Ideas
In:
Angela Slatter, Catherynne Valente, Jess Walters, Kelly Link, Paul Tremblay, Stephen Graham Jones, Theme, Vampires, Werewolves, zombies
Some horror tropes refuse to die. And that's a good thing.
Storyville: The Proper Use of Violence in Fiction
Violence in fiction—when to use it, and when to avoid it.
Storyville: Great Titles—Hooking Your Readers
Some ideas on how to hook your readers with your titles.
Storyville: Writing a Story or Novel Based on One Emotion
Tips, advice and process for writing a story or novel based on one emotion.
8 Prescient Dystopian Shorts—in Short, We're F*#&ed!
In:
Adam Troy Castro, Black Mirror, Dystopia, George Orwell, Harlan Ellison, Joanna Russ, Lucy A Snyder, Martin Amis, Ray Bradbury, Theme, Ursula K. Le Guin, Utopia
Some dystopian tales to remind us to be careful what we wish for-—Heaven on Earth is just the B-side to End of Days.
Words Mightier Than Bullets: Tarantino on Story
By BH Shepherd
A look at the theme of storytelling throughout Quentin Tarantino's filmography.
Jessica Jones vs. Sansa Stark: Rape Culture in Entertainment, and Why We Should Talk About It
By Leah Rhyne
In:
A Song of Ice and Fire, Character, Comics, game of thrones, Jessica Jones, Literary Devices, Marvel, Rape, Theme
Trigger warning: We are going to talk about rape, and our reactions to the loss of innocence vs. the thirst for revenge.
Fiction Shmiction: The Complex Question of Writing as Activism
If we're all creating a broader social narrative and constructing damaging roles, does that mean we should portray the world as it should be rather than as it is? Tough question. Let's unpackage it.
Writing 'The Other'
When does writing about The Other stop being an exercise in understanding and become something exploitative?
