WritingTag

The Writer in the World: The Mismanagement of Mystery with Vladimir Lucien

A Conversation with Vladimir LucienPoetry's so-called "resurgence" as a form of public/social capital seems to reveal today something new of the role of the artist in the world. This new thing, to me, ...

On Pseudoscience, Wrestling, and Finding Storytelling in the Unconventional

When I was in university I had to take a science course to complete my undergraduate degree. I decided on “Science and Pseudoscience” – mostly because the title reminded me of the sort of conspiracy ...

The Writer in the World: Introduction

 The reader became the book; and summer night was like the conscious being of the book— Wallace StevensI became a book a long time ago. Or perhaps I am possessed by the memory of the experience of ...

Characters. Emotions. Relationships. Action.

In junior high, my grade seven English teacher taught us about conflict in narrative: man against man; man against nature; man against self; and man against society. To be honest, I never really found ...

Humour and Children’s Books

I don’t think I was raised in a particularly funny family. My dad was often described as being extremely intelligent, but I don’t think I ever heard someone call him funny.Growing up, I recognized ...

Interview with Ryan North

Today we’re talking to writer Ryan North!Ryan is the creator of Dinosaur Comics and the writer of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl comic series. He also wrote 35 issues of the Adventure Time comic series. ...

Writing Alone and Out Loud

I’ve always wanted to be the type of person who writes in coffee shops. A few years ago, I was visiting a friend in LA and I had one goal: to sit in a coffee shop and write. It felt like the LA thing ...

John Hodgman, My Literary Hero

A LIST OF THINGS THAT I LOVE ABOUT JOHN HODGMAN, MY LITERARY HERO.(ALSO, PLEASE DON’T EVER TURN OUT TO BE A BAD PERSON.)1)    John Hodgman worked as a literary agent at Writers House in New York ...

Revising Your Vomit Draft

Every time I sit down to revise a new picture book (aka vomit draft), I can’t remember how to do it. How can I turn something terrible into something better? How do I make things actually happen in ...

Interview with John Martz

Today we’re talking to author-illustrator, cartoonist and designer John Martz!John has written and illustrated several children’s books including Burt’s Way Home and A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories, ...