Richard Thomas

Storyville: Depression as Catharsis in Your Fiction

How depression can lead to catharsis in your storytelling.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: Leaving Room for the Reader

It's important to leave room for the reader. Here are some ways you can do that.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: What Makes Your Stories Uniquely You?

Tap into the formative experiences that made you and apply them to your fiction.
Megan J Kaleita

Freelance Copywriting Nearly Killed My Voice as A Writer

What you write matters. Getting paid is not enough.
Stephanie M. Wytovich, MFA

When the Answer Isn't Always Edgar Allan Poe

This essay encourages readers and writers alike to bridge the gap between literary and genre in order to find horror in unsuspecting places.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: 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.
Gabino Iglesias

Five Things to Keep in Mind for a Great Opening

The first line. The first paragraph. The first page. The first chapter. They all matter. A lot. Here are some things you should keep in mind to get them right.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: Method Writing

What is method writing, and how can it help breathe authenticity into your work?
Jeff Noon

Moods in White, Black and Grey: Finding a Style

Part 7 of Jeff's 10 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
Richard Thomas

Storyville: The Proper Use of Violence in Fiction

Violence in fiction—when to use it, and when to avoid it.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: Leaving Room for the Reader in Your Fiction

Thoughts and advice on how to leave room for your readers when writing fiction.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: Six Dark Contemporary Films That Can Inspire Your Fiction

Here are some of my favorite recent films, and ways they can inform and inspire your writing.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: How to Write Flash Fiction

Tips and tricks for writing powerful flash fiction.
Chuck Palahniuk

One Word Leads To The Next: Unconventional Conjunctive Devices

An essay that explores unconventional conjunctive devices and how they can link a story together, making it more like a song or piece of music.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: Making Relationships Feel Real in Your Fiction

Some tips on how to make your fictional relationship feel real.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: Love Instead of Death—Writing With Heart

Replace death with love, in your writing, and see what happens.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: Avoiding Tropes in Horror

What are horror tropes, and how can you avoid them?
Chuck Palahniuk

Consider This: Coping

In this first of a series of new craft essays, Chuck Palahniuk displays a method for helping your characters cope against dramatic situations. He also delves into the language of singing, mantras and the importance of a good scream.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: Three Essential Books On Writing

Three essential books on writing by Stephen King, Donald Maas and Jeff VanderMeer.
Chuck Palahniuk

Nuts and Bolts: Saying It Wrong

Great writers like Mark Richard and Amy Hempel re-invent the world, partly by re-inventing the language. In this essay, Chuck introduces you to the mysteries of "Burnt Tongue," and its three principal uses.
Richard Thomas

Storyville: 10 Hot, Emerging, and Underappreciated Genres

Looking for something new to write? Here are ten hot, emerging, and underappreciated genres.