literature

Anecdotally, the reading of literature seems to be down in these trying times. I’ve spoken to some of my author friends, and they, like me, are seeing a downturn in numbers. There are obvious reasons for this, but those aren’t points we should dwell on. People have less disposable income. Information is changing so quickly, … Read more

John Milton is known as one of the greatest English language poets of all time. Many are introduced to him through his masterwork — the epic tome of blank verse — Paradise Lost. That tends to be where people start and end with him. They often get turned off and never make it through any of … Read more

It’s that time of the year again. Halloween is around the corner, and horror films fill our recommended viewing on the streaming platforms. Even book bloggers and vloggers join in with recommended horror novels. In this article, I hope to convince you that horror is the perfect literary genre for our current moment. They aren’t … Read more

I’m often caught reading strange books that no one has heard of. Family members ask me: where did you even hear about that? Well, this article is my answer. This just going to be a list of the best places to find new books, including book bloggers and vloggers that make great reviews and recommendations. … Read more

Persuasive essays are one of the few skills that transfer to the real world. It’s worth your time to get good at them.

This is a guide to writing ethical Amazon reviews. It applies to both the occasional reviewer and the prolific reviewer. Disclaimer: The weather is great. I’m in a good mood. This is not about me. I don’t even write under my real name anymore, so I honestly don’t care what people say about my books. … Read more

The OA is a Netflix original series by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij. You may know Brit Marling from Another Earth. This series has some of the most inventive and suspenseful storytelling I’ve seen. It is constantly original and surprising. It hooks you with question after question. I’m not even sure I can tell you … Read more

A series in which I read books on required reading lists and discuss their merits. John Green’s Looking for Alaska appeared on the most required reading lists of any other contemporary YA. I was familiar with both John Green and his books before starting this series. Like most people my age, I’ve seen Paper Towns … Read more

I’ve been thinking a lot about contemporary fiction novels that have actually changed my life. Here’s the list with explanation.

These three creative writing strategies will help you write and finish a tightly constructed and satisfying novel.