I used to have a book that promised 1001 things to do. The title was slightly misleading: the authors counted similar activities individually. For instance, “start a book club!” and “start a mystery book club!” might be two separate items. They also often had the misfortune of requiring more people…
There are dozens of online writers praising Rebecca Sugar’s animated series Steven Universe, which is feminist, queer-positive, and generally amazing. Allow me to join them. Steven Universe is the comic, sentimental, epic story of a boy named, what else, Steven Universe, who is the newest member of the Crystal Gems. Said Gems…
Like everyone and their dog, I got into podcasts through the first season of Serial, a true crime investigation. I’ve always been interested in true crime; at least 25% of my inability to fall asleep as a child was probably caused by a paperback volume of Unsolved Mysteries that made…
Conventional wisdom has it that writers make poor household pets, but once you have the opportunity to observe these delightful creatures as close range, you’ll find their care offers the enterprising pet lover a rewarding experience. Recent legislation has made the importation of writers for private ownership illegal in most…
There’s only one picture book that I find myself turning to as an adult because I crave its emotional message. Don’t mistake me: I love a lot of picture books. I love their charm, their evocativeness, their wit, their simplicity, their complexity. I love some of them for the memories…
I think I fetishize the virtue of not giving up. I’m not alone, of course. I didn’t come up with this idea that, no matter how sick I feel, there is something weak about not going to the gym on what’s supposed to be legs day. Or, for that matter,…
I tried some new things this year. Here is how they’ve gone so far.
Hello, and welcome to this week’s column of “Ask the Writing Gods.” As usual, we, the deities in charge of writing, revising, inspiration, ideas, and all things authorial, will answer callers’ questions about their works-in-progress and — oh god, not you again. ME: Hi!
When the animated film Home (Dreamworks, 2015) first came out, I was excited to see it. I’d enjoyed the book on which it’s based, Adam Rex’s The True Meaning of Smekday (2007).* Although I missed its initial run in theatres, I was pleased to discover Netflix had acquired the streaming…