Audiobooks have been with us for a while but it is only in the last three decades that they have become popular. Great audiobooks have distinctive features that set them apart from the rest. A good audiobook should, in essence, tell the story in a...
Montage is common in films. It is a device that uses flashbacks of images that show a past sequence of events. This is a method for compressing information of time, backstory, and point of view. It is a tool used by writers to show pacing and...
On my website, I'm currently running a poetry workshop for those wishing to learn more. Each week I post two lessons with a choice of prompts at the end so those taking the workshop not only are taught the material but how to use the...
Read opening scenes from great writers
As you read other novels, take note of what draws you to the book’s opening scene. Learn what great writers do differently that makes the beginning of their books stand out. After reading their works, write your own and compare...
John Milton was a passionate writer who advocated for freedom of speech. He was admired not just for his command of the English language, but also for his fierce independence. Many of his poems, including Paradise Lost, have served as a basis for many muses....
Knowing good and evil can be difficult. Despite us teaching and being taught what’s good and what’s bad, in the end, it all depends on the situation. For instance, if we had to choose between a countless number of innocent lives, and saving the people...
In the infamous tragedy Macbeth, Lady Macbeth played an important role in her husband’s fall from grace. She repeatedly goads him into killing others and prizes her ambition and lust for power over everything else, including her own sanity. She is a manifestation of the darkness...
Corruption has a damaging effect on people. Whether it be due to a desire for power, or peace, or even love, that corruption can have longlasting psychological and physical consequences on someone. After all, corruption is rife through human history, and we’ve seen it happen...
Humanity has been infatuated with immortality for thousands of years. From alchemy and magic to science and psychology, as humans, we’re obsessed with the idea of living forever. Even if we can’t do that, we’re convinced we can leave something behind, whether that’s a legacy...
Nowadays, relatable antiheroes are popular. Because, as readers, we like to put ourselves in the character’s shoes, imagine ourselves as the sort of person that, while not perfect, can still make a difference in the world. We want to think that just because we aren’t Superman...
