The Reality of ‘Show, Don’t Tell’
The most oft-repeated piece of writing advice is, of course, show, don’t tell. There are articles all over the internet of varying degrees of accuracy explaining what exactly this means and how to put it into practice in your own writing. To save you the trouble of googling it and squinting angrily at the plethora of almost-but-not-quite good advice out there, here’s a basic explanation … Continue reading The Reality of ‘Show, Don’t Tell’
How to Be the Next J.K. Rowling
That’s the goal, isn’t it? Become one of the highest paid, most well-known and widely popular authors in the world. What writer wouldn’t want that? J.K. Rowling’s formulaic writing is fairly easy to crack, and yet no one has even come close to her levels of stardom recently. People toss around the phrase “the next J.K. Rowling” in the same way they talk about the … Continue reading How to Be the Next J.K. Rowling
Five Tips For Aspiring Professional Writers
So you want to be a published author? These past few months, I went to a few aspiring author workshops at my local library and historical center. Two brilliant writers with endless wisdom, Cinda Williams Chima and Vivien Chien, were there to discuss tips and tricks. Here are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned through the years, heard on podcasts, and gleaned from these … Continue reading Five Tips For Aspiring Professional Writers
‘Fantastic Beasts’ Is Better Than ‘Harry Potter.’ Duel Me.
Spoilers included for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald received a lot of backlash, especially on social media, after its release in theaters. Whether fans were confused by the plot, angry with J.K. Rowling for adding in a not-so-surprising twist, or wondering why Dumbledore is wearing suits instead of a fancy Hogwarts robe, the film and its prequel don’t … Continue reading ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Is Better Than ‘Harry Potter.’ Duel Me.
Atticus Finch Is the Male Hero We Need Today
Male protagonists are a dime a dozen, but not a particularly diverse bunch. Take any popular movie or video game and the marketing for it will likely feature a tall muscular white man with short dark hair holding a weapon, staring towards whatever enemy looms on the horizon. Plenty of exceptions exist, but when in doubt writers seem to fall back on the same sort … Continue reading Atticus Finch Is the Male Hero We Need Today
The Only New Years Resolutions You’ll Ever Need
Chances are, at some point in your life, you’ve made a New Years resolution. Maybe you kept it, maybe as of mid-January you gave up and figured life was more about being happy than thin. We’re not here to judge. A new year is a time of new beginnings. It’s a socially contrived chance to fundamentally change something about yourself. After all, as they say … Continue reading The Only New Years Resolutions You’ll Ever Need
The Landscape of History… in Memes
How can history be discovered from memes and geography? (A meme can be defined as something that “conveys the idea of a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation.” A picture with something witty pasted over it in Impact font or the phrase “Perfectly balanced, as all things should be” are modern flavors of memes, but the definition here expands it to any bit … Continue reading The Landscape of History… in Memes
