Self-insert main characters in fiction have been around for ages. A certain stigma surrounds them that implies this method of writing is juvenile and amateur, when in reality this concept has historically been incredibly abundant in literature that we consider classic. Vonnegut, Salinger, and King have all created widely celebrated characters that directly reflect themselves. This poses the question: Where does this negative connotation stem from? When I hear other writers di

In an age where everyone is consuming the same media, individuality is more important now than ever.  Writing acts as a powerful voice, and can be used to uplift those whose voices may be marginalized or prone to erasure.  Just like voices in real life, someone’s writing voice can have its own distinguishing characteristics.   Your voice in writing can include something of the linguistic nature, such as using vernacular language, or perhaps code switching in your words.   Dis

Image by Colton Sturgeon via Unsplash I primarily write short speculative fiction and dabble in personal essays, but when I came across a quote from Ursula K. Le Guin's talk at P ortland Arts & Lectures program of Literary Arts on my Instagram feed, it made me pause: "Beneath memory and experience, beneath imagination and invention, beneath words, there are rhythm to which memory and imagination and words all move. The writer's job is to go down deep enough to feel that rhyth

Image by Paul Hanaoka via Unsplash I am in the snack aisle at the grocery store staring at the varieties of granola bars. I check my hand-written list and wonder if there is such a thing as too many snacks to bring on a trip. This is one of many questions I am thinking about as I prepare to attend the AWP (Association of Writers & Writing Programs) Conference in Baltimore next week.  Prior to becoming an intern for Singularity Press, I had only been to one conference for scre

Photo by Alex Litvin via Unsplash I think everyone gets a little surge of joy when they hear one of their favorite novels is being adapted into a movie or television series. Getting to see a story they love so much brought to life, letting others see the wonders of it, can be a great thing. That is, when it’s done right.  Now, there’s a lot of adaptations I’m a fan of. Percy Jackson and the Olympians , the show NOT the movies, is amazing. The Hunger Games  are truly unrivaled

Language is the ultimate gift in this life. It is the aspect of our culture that sets us apart from other species. It's what makes us evolve . It's what makes us sophisticated . It's what makes us the smartest species on Earth . Somehow, we take it for granted everyday. Some of us have the gift of being able to communicate and express ourselves in more than one language.  We can say what we need to say, and we have more pretty words to choose from.   Learning another language

Image Source: MeisterDrucke There is a lot of value in art that is inspired by other art.  Many common examples of this include spinoff TV shows or movies, songs that sample other songs, and remixes of songs.  I am most familiar with writing that is inspired by works of art, specifically paintings and architecture.   My favorite place in the entire world is the Medieval to Early Renaissance European Art gallery at the Philadelphia Art Museum.  I heavily resonate with the crea

Image Source: Shutterstock When you think of traditional vampire teeth, what comes to mind?  This was not a question until I stumbled across a post on TikTok, showcasing various vampiric teeth in different tv shows. The caption on it was, “Your fangs are on the wrong teeth” which immediately got me thinking of a scene from Avatar: The Last Airbender where a character lets Zuko know his scar is on the wrong side. This then  got me thinking, is there an incorrect portrayal of v

Image Source: wordcounter.net If you’re anything like me, it can be hard to really get yourself to sit down and start writing. It’s easy to perceive this as having a lack of ideas or writer’s block, but I think more often than not, it’s actually about the environment you’re working in.  One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my first couple of years at Rowan was trying to do all of my school work at home in my bedroom. I’m sure it varies by person, but by doing the work in

Image Source: Paperpal.com As many creatives and aspiring writers, I do a lot of research as I work on any of my creative pursuits. While I’ve gotten frustrated or hit a wall many times along the way, I’m sure I’m not the only one who has hit blocks when it comes to the writing process.  Now with the developments of AI, some people have begun to use it to help with their writing, character development, artwork, and even as an editing tool for their work. Every application and

Image Source: IStock.com “Do you remember? Remember those nights wrapped in blankets in a house with no heat?” This is the opening to a very loose poem I wrote called Familiar discomforts. Within it, I mention, “...Those horror movies kept you sane when life was at its worst?” which is exactly how it sounds: Horror movies, or horror in general, has been in my life since I was a kid. From the TV version of IT and Dreamcatcher, to Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, th

Image Source: www.austinmacauley.com Writing in a new genre can be a daunting experience. As writers, genres sometimes become closely intertwined with our identity. We may casually say, I write fantasy or I’d love to write a historical romance , but not completely realize just how much our chosen genre dictates our identity as writers until we finally take the plunge to venture outside of it. For over three years, I had been working on a post-apocalyptic novel. I finished it

Image Source: Shuttershock.com During the early 2000s to mid 2010s dystopian fiction was at the height of popularity with The Hunger Games , The Maze Runner ,  Ready Player One, etc . With each of these respected books getting their own live action adaption that has gotten mainstream popularity. But going into the late 2010s it seems like the genre had taken a dip in popularity, according to the goodreads Best Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic books based on users votes, none of

Image Source: www.pixabay.com If there is one thing that I have learned so far as a writer that I stand by no matter what, it’s that I...

Image Created by Jordan Avery You are an editor. Or, well, at least a writer, if you’re visiting this page. Even if you don’t consider...

Image source: www.stormwritingschool.com The dialogue tag is like a rogue with a heart of gold. At times, it's a valuable ally to the...

Image Source: LinkedIn It’s often said that the fastest way to any destination is a straight line. When it comes to writing, this same...

Image Source: Wix In a convention center in Los Angeles, California, Megan Atwood, Editor-in-Chief of Singularity Press, and a few...

Image credit: iStock Let me be absolutely clear—my way of editing may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I am a novice editor, a first-time...

Image Credit: Filmnation Entertainment I recently watched Conclave (2024), a film directed by Edward Berger and based on the book of the...