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.
So You've Won NaNoWriMo — What Next?
In:
Rewriting
After winning your first NaNo, you may be wondering what to do. Here's some advice.
Storyville: The Symbolism of the Four Seasons
In:
Setting
Some tips on how the seasons can service your story.
The Edible Complex: Food-based tips for research and editing
In:
Research
Eating and writing sometimes feel inextricably linked. Here are three food-based tips for research and editing.
Storyville: How Grateful, Compassionate Protagonists Can Add Depth to Your Fiction
In:
Character
If you have a likable protagonist, does that make for a more appealing, layered, and satisfying experience?
Dear Anne Sexton
An open letter to Anne Sexton on her birthday.
When Fiction Sells, Why Write Speculative Poetry?
In:
Poetry
There are a lot of ways that poetry can not only strengthen your writing career and author brand, but also your bank account.
Storyville: How Various Media Can Change You as a Writer
Influence can come from any medium, not just the one you are working in.
Storyville: Hate From Love—Complex Emotions in Characterization
In:
Character
In order to truly hate, you must love first, so write your characters with this complex relationship in mind.
Story Development for Pantsers
By Jay Wilburn
In:
Plot
Pantsers are the wild and wooly improvisational artists of the writing world. Here are some tools and approaches that can help them develop their stories without giving up their preferred style.
Writing Advice for Non-Writers
By Peter Derk
In:
Rewriting
So you have to write something. Maybe it's the first thing you've written since high school. Don't worry, it's not that hard. We'll get through it together.
"The Autodidacts": Thomas Kendall On Writing Without An Outline
In:
Structure
Fortunately, your source is infinitely replenishable: On writing without an outline, out of an image you don’t understand, towards a beauty you’re not sure exists.
Storyville: The Intersection Between Plotting and Pantsing
Finding the intersection between plotting and pantsing.
Five Poetry Collections to Read This Summer
In:
Poetry
Contemporary poetry recommendations from the first half of 2022.
It’s Thomas Hardy’s Birthday (Do We Care?)
In:
Character
Is “Jude the Obscure” really anyone’s favorite book? What does “The Mayor of Casterbridge” say to the 21st century reader?
Storyville: Unreliable Narrators
What is an unreliable narrator and how can it affect your writing?
Sudowrite: An AI Fiction Writing Software Review
By Repo Kempt
In:
Word Play
A review of Sudowrite, fiction writing software that uses AI to generate content.
Storyville: Leaving Room for the Reader
In:
Voice
It's important to leave room for the reader. Here are some ways you can do that.
Does Anyone Really Know What Makes a Story Good?
By Jay Wilburn
While there are some writing conventions that are generally agreed upon, the subtle things that make a story good may be more intangible than we like to think.
The Banality of Evil In Fiction
By Peter Derk
In:
Character
Why is so much evil in fiction so boring? How can you give those evil-doers a little life?
Storyville: From Baseline to Variation—How to Set and Expand Expectations
How to set the baseline and then take your readers somewhere else entirely.
Do It For The Kids: I Wrote A Book On Sylvia Plath That I Wish I Had As A Teenager
In:
Poetry
We still treat teenagers like their interests and passions are amusing instead of existence-altering. So I wrote a book on Sylvia Plath to challenge that.
