When Rowling announced that Dumbledore was gay, it created no short amount of controversy. It remains a debated topic to this day, with people arguing for and against Dumbledore being gay. Some pointed out that Dumbledore showed signs of being straight, such as him blushing when speaking with Madam Pomfrey Read more…
There’s a certain badge of honour attributed to authors who land a traditional deal, while writers who are self published have to work through a stigma. The stigma is understandable. After all, anyone can self publish; this means there is no quality control, which in turn has allowed the proliferation Read more…
The name M. Night Shyamalan is one many of us may be somewhat familiar with. Though he hasn’t reached the same level of fame as Stephen Spielberg, his name nevertheless carries some weight in the film industry—both good and bad. If you’re older, you’ll know him as the creator of Read more…
There are plenty of book series which had a promising first entry, only to fizzle out as the sequels were published. Characters become dry, places remain unchanged, and, ultimately, the story’s plot lines become contrived, because there’s nothing fresh for the author to work with. Plots stop revolving around the Read more…
Much as we might dream of making a living writing books, the sobering reality is that few of us ever will—even if accepted by a traditional publisher. When you pick up a book at the store, the majority of the authors you come across within are working a day job. Read more…
While the Hunger Games is a large exaggeration of any society, the similarities it bears to ours can be unsettling. Granted, we live in a much safer world. Instead of being killed, all children are schooled, fed, and even given extras like field trips and toys. That said, much of Read more…
Writers are expected to do a great deal, and likely for no pay. It’s a fate we’ve accepted, because we’re dedicated to our craft and honestly obsessed with it. However, obsessed or not, it’s not always the easiest job in the world. Half of what makes writing complicated isn’t the Read more…
In my posts, 11 Types of Creative Writing (Part 1 and Part 2) I discussed the various mediums writers of fiction could experiment with. These aren’t to be confused with writing types, such as blogging or copywriting, nor with genres, such as fantasy or romance. Instead, these are categories which Read more…
Twilight is seldom hailed as a literary masterpiece. Even it’s most diehard adherents wouldn’t compare it with Shakespeare (though one fan did assert it should be considered a classic, a debate for another article). One of the biggest complaints about the quality of the series revolves around Bella—the protagonist and Read more…
If there’s one activity every author should at least try, it’s reviewing books. The book can be ten years old or newly released, but the process remains the same. The fundamentals which constitute an entertaining story have changed little in the last hundred years—you may even be of the opinion Read more…