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.
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.
Jack of Shrugtown
In:
Phrases, Vocabulary
I read my first Jack Reacher book, and there were so many shrugs. Jack Reacher has come to shrug and chew bubblegum, and he's all out of bubblegum.
Storyville: Critical Analysis—An Essential Part of Your Process
How to apply critical analysis to your own writing.
A Brief Stroll Down the Corridors of Dark Academia and Its Romantic Roots
In:
Theme
It’s easy to view these aesthetics as trends of small consequence, but it’s more interesting to watch their evolution against the scope of other romantic movements.
Storyville: How to Ask For, and Give, Book Blurbs
In:
Research
Tips and tricks for navigating the world of book blurbs.
Happy Birthday To Georgette Heyer, the Salty Godmother of Regency Romance
In:
Setting
Heyer said of her own writing in the 1940s, “I think to myself I ought to be shot for writing such nonsense," but her self-deprecation undermined her wit and substantial body of bestselling work.
Big Bugs and Dead Astronauts: The Joys of a Non-Human Narrator
In:
Narrator
Fresh ideas can be learned from books told from a different perspective.
How to Write Authentic Fiction
In:
Abstracts
How to write authentic fiction that resonates with other people.
Freelance Copywriting Nearly Killed My Voice as A Writer
In:
Voice
What you write matters. Getting paid is not enough.
Storyville: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Scene Breaks
In:
Structure
Some tips on inserting scene breaks into your short stories.
Storyville: Story Dissection — "In His House"
In:
POV
Richard dissects his epistolary horror story, "In His House."
Storyville: Evaluating Your Work in Progress—As Author, Editor, and Reader
In:
Rewriting
It's crucial that you can read your writing as the audience, an author, AND an editor.
Alan Wake: A Look Back At Video Gaming's Best Writer Character
By Peter Derk
In:
Character
Ghosts I ain't afraid of, ghosts I AM afraid of, evaluating the handsomeness of Stephen King, ludonarrative dissonance, and everything else Alan Wake.
The Obsolescence of The Hero's Journey
By Gabriel Hart
Those who prescribe to a set system might be condemned to repeat mediocrity.
Telling the Story of a Pandemic and the Future of Now
In:
Setting
How do you write about the ‘now’ in a time of ongoing global crisis?
10 Books For the Flight to Mars
In:
Theme
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.
When the Answer Isn't Always Edgar Allan Poe
In:
Voice
This essay encourages readers and writers alike to bridge the gap between literary and genre in order to find horror in unsuspecting places.
Storyville: Reasons Authors Don't Submit Their Work—And My Responses
In:
Research
The top reasons authors don't submit their work, and my responses.
Storyville: What Do You Have the Authority to Write?
Experience vs. research: What stories are yours to tell?
Who Owns The Story?
By Peter Derk
In:
Character
What gives you the right to tell someone else's story?
