“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” ― Toni Morrison
I think most of us are guilty of uttering the phrase "that person has too much time on their hands." It could be prompted by any number of things: a Youtube video that splices clips of a politician's speech so they are speaking the lyrics to a pop song, an exact replica of Denmark made… Continue reading Too Much Time on Your Hands: A Mini-Essay
Author's note: I have been wanting to write a bit more on the nature of critique and the relationship writers have with critics for some time now, but I have realized it will likely take more than one post in order to properly articulate all my feelings on the subject. As such, I will do… Continue reading Writers v. Beta Readers: Critique Series Part 1
While poetry isn't my favorite medium, it will always hold a special place in my heart. Edgar Allen Poe's Alone speaks to me in ways few other works ever have. The Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julia Ward Howe gets my heart pounding with its haunting lyricism and captivating imagery. Poetry in itself is… Continue reading Unpopular Opinion: The Current State of Poetry
I think it's safe to say this generation of movie-goers and readers are more analytical about their media consumption than ever before. You needn't go far to find blogs, vlogs, reviewing sites and more for detailed critiques of just about any form of story-telling you care to think of. On the one hand, I think… Continue reading No, Your Story Isn’t Original and That’s Okay: A Brief Essay on Originality
I see tweets all the time about writing goals. Goals are good. Goals help motivate. But I've never been good at them. Deadlines help but I still struggle to meet them. A friend of mine gave me a deadline for two weeks and I think I emailed her the finished project about a month later. Word… Continue reading Word Count Goals
The Crooked Pen 