Family has long been a cornerstone of humanity, regardless of time period, location, and culture. This is also true in the stories we read and write, as we discussed in this DIY MFA case study. However, what makes family such an important literary theme? Why do stories that focus on family sometimes lift our spirits… Read more »
Research: for some people, the word itself is enough to send chills up the spine. It brings back memories of term papers and case studies . . . of long hours pouring over mostly boring academic treatises and note cards . . . of bibliographies and footnotes and the dreaded decision about when to use… Read more »
To broaden my reading horizons, I’ve recently started helping with the review of nonfiction submissions for a literary magazine. I’ll be honest, I was a bit nervous to dive into that slush pile at first. Sure, I read nonfiction every now and then—from memoirs to the occasional New Yorker piece—but I’ve never attempted to write… Read more »
Reading is an exercise in empathy. When we read an effective story, we identify with its main characters and mirror their emotions. Indeed, the best stories get us to experience the events being portrayed. Studies have even shown that when readers encounter well-told stories, there’s cortex activity in their brains; that is, the areas of… Read more »
I first met Tom Hart on the pages of Rosalie Lightning, the graphic memoir he created after the death of his daughter who was not yet two years old. I know the precise day I read the book, January 24, 2016, because I instantly tweeted a picture of the cover and this flash review— “One… Read more »
Hi, I’m Tammy Lough, and I’m thrilled to be talking romance with you. Over my next three articles, we’re going to go over ten rules to help you craft a killer romance. Plant the soles of your Jimmy Choo’s on the floor and wiggle your backside. Let’s do the “Happy Dance.” Why? Keep this on… Read more »
Dear Editor, Do you have any suggestions on how to write a story as if the MC is looking back at earlier events? For my story to work, I feel my narrator needs the accumulated knowledge and wisdom to be able to describe many of the things she encounters and make sense of them. I… Read more »
The man-versus-X distinctions we were taught in school are pretty useless. In my experience, at least, knowing that an individual might struggle against nature or man or self or society does little to help me craft gripping scenes. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying conflict isn’t important. It’s absolutely essential. But giving broad labels… Read more »
I have done my beloved short forms an injustice. And I’ve led you, my readers, to believe that poems, short stories, and novellas are simply stops on the way to the writing world’s holy grail: novels. This column, Writing Small, is an exploration into this near-mystical thing called writing. My aim is to plumb others’… Read more »
I’m going to diverge a bit from the usual for the next couple of columns. As we approach the end of the year (where did 2018 go, and so fast?!) it’s the perfect time to consider something we may take for granted most of the time: our creative process. Right now, many—or some, at least—of… Read more »
