Grad School Residency Part III: I Learn That I Matter
Column by Karis Rogerson
After a third grad school residency, Karis Rogerson reflects on how the 10-day intensive reminded her of her value.
Storyville: Dissecting Body, Mind, and Soul
Column by Richard Thomas
Dissecting body, mind, and soul in our storytelling.
Jason Rekulak on Finding the Hidden
Interview by Jena Brown
Editor turned author Jason Rekulak talks outside the box concepts and finding your story.
Dialog Journals and Writing Good Dialog
Column by Peter Derk
Start a dialog journal, fix up your dialog, write better characters, and basically rule the world.
A Walk Down Salinger Lane: The Legacy of an Author in a Small Town
Column by Leah Dearborn
Does the "code of the hills" in Cornish, New Hampshire still protect reclusive author J.D. Salinger in death?
Book vs. Film: "We Have Always Lived in the Castle"
Column by Christopher Shultz
Many think it's Shirley Jackson's masterpiece. Do the filmmakers fill those impossibly big shoes?
You’re A Writer, But Is MasterClass Right For You?
Column by Andrea J. Johnson
MasterClass offers numerous courses for aspiring writers. But are such classes worth the investment? This article seeks to address that concern and give you a brief overview of some of the sessions.
Maybe We Could Stop Deconstructing Books?
Column by Peter Derk
What if we stopped taking things apart and started building something new?
Ditch Your New Books and Reread An Old Favorite, Instead
Column by Jena Brown
Sometimes the best read is the one you know you’re going to love.
More Than "Less Than Zero": Escaping Into Bret Eason Ellis's "The Shards"
Review by Gabriel Hart
Gabriel Hart cuts into new Bret Easton Ellis mega-novel, "The Shards."
Some Kidlit Debuts To Keep An Eye Out For in 2023
Column by Karis Rogerson
A collection of 18 exciting kidlit debuts for 2023!
You Don’t Have to Write About Everything, Actually
Column by Chelsea Stickle
Depending on your life experiences, you may feel obligated to write about: gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, trauma, etc. But you don’t have to.
Book vs. Film: "The Pale Blue Eye"
Column by Christopher Shultz
Edgar Allan Poe plays detective on page and on film, but is it a strong enough mystery to captivate repeated reads or views?
7 Resolutions Every Writer Should Consider
Column by Max Booth III
Forget exercise and eating healthy. Here are some resolutions that actually matter.
Walter Mosley, Natural Language, and Empathy
Column by Joshua Isard
Everyday language is a way to understand different kinds of people. Diving in to those differences is vital.
What I Learned From 6 Books On Writing Faster
Column by Andrea J. Johnson
I read six books on writing faster, and the common elements revolve around creating a consistent habit and specific reason for the achievement.
Wednesday Addams and the Nihilist as Narrator
Column by Leah Dearborn
Can a nihilistic narrator drive a successful plot, and is it possible for a character who experiences growth to be a true nihilist?
Rebecca van Laer on Writerly Identity and Re-Encountering Your Own Writing
Interview by Kleopatra Olympiou
An interview with Rebecca van Laer about writerly identity, re-encountering your own old writing, and her hybrid novella "How to Adjust to the Dark" (Long Day Press, 2022).
The Masterplan Moonwalk
Column by David James Keaton
So many supervillains' masterplans fall apart under scrutiny. It should be a sin.
Typos: The Final Word
Column by Peter Derk
The typo is the little flaw in the finish on the bookcase your grandpa made for you. It's the one slightly crooked tooth in your partner's smile. It's humanness on the page.
"Madam Tomahawk" and the Thrill of Writing in Someone Else’s Universe
Column by Nick Kolakowski
The latest in the "A Grifter's Song" series is out January 1, 2023.
Books We’re Looking Forward To In 2023
Column by Jena Brown
2023 is already looking like a banner book year. Start apologizing to your TBR pile now.
"This Story Will Change" by Elizabeth Crane & "Book of Extraordinary Tragedies" by Joe Meno.
Review by Ben Tanzer
A Better Story: Ruminations, Reflections and Reviews of "This Story Will Change" by Elizabeth Crane and "Book of Extraordinary Tragedies" by Joe Meno.
"The Best Horror of the Year Volume 14" edited by Ellen Datlow
Review by Christopher Shultz
Some horrors are new this year, but several more have been causing nightmares for decades.
Phantom of the Hip-Hopera: An Improv Novel-Writing Experiment
Column by Peter Derk
Stuck on your WIP? Having a hard time making a book work? Here's a new writing method that might break that block and get your book finished.