Written originally as a fanfiction for the series Twilight, the popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey has made obvious what was always clear to fans and literary scholars alike: that it is an essential human activity to read and retell epic stories of famous heroic characters. The Fanfiction Reader showcases the extent to which the archetypal storytelling exemplified by fanfiction has continuities with older forms: the communal tale-telling cultures of the past and ...

By bringing together a range of discussions from leading international fan and performance studies scholars, Theatre Fandom tracks key case studies of theatre fans across different eras, performance forms, and cultures. The contributors emphasize the importance of considering theatrical elements such as pleasure, engagement, allure, enjoyment, and love. They illustrate how leveraging fan enthusiasm can foster greater and more meaningful participation in the cultural industries, po...

A powerful secret and a fresh approach to writing bestselling fiction!What's the best way to write a "next level" novel? Some writers start at the beginning and let the story unfold without a plan. They are called "pantsers," because they write by the "seat of the pants."Other writers plan and outline and know the ending before they start. These are the "plotters."The two sides never seem to agree with each other on the best approach.But wha...

LIGHTSPEED is an online science fiction and fantasy magazine. In its pages, you will find science fiction: from near-future, sociological soft SF, to far-future, star-spanning hard SF—and fantasy: from epic fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, and contemporary urban tales, to magical realism, science-fantasy, and folktales.This month, we present our special anniversary issue, Women Destroy Science Fiction!, an all-science fiction extravaganza entirely written—and edited!—by women.Gu...

Ramp up the tension and keep your readers hooked! Inside you'll find everything you need to know to spice up your story, move your plot forward, and keep your readers turning pages. Expert thriller author and writing instructor James Scott Bell shows you how to craft scenes, create characters, and develop storylines that harness conflict and suspense to carry your story from the first word to the last.Learn from examples of successful novels and movies as you transform your work fr...

What is the single greatest secret to a breakout writing career? What is it that every agent and editor wants to see, and every reader delights in?It's VOICE. Everyone talks about it, yet no one seems able to define it. Voice has therefore been the most elusive aspect of the entire writing craft to teach.Until now.In this book, #1 bestselling writing teacher James Scott Bell reveals the true source of voice, and what any writer in any genre can do t...

The Untold History of Television provides an exciting glimpse behind the scenes of the groundbreaking series that have defined the landscape of popular culture.Based on Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire series, True Blood brings to life a rich fantasy world in which vampires, telepathic barmaids, and old-world Southern charm all manage to co-exist. Dark, edgy and sensual, the series takes the vampire trend to a new level of sex and violence. In this text, Kathleen Olmste...

A truly unforgettable story is defined by its characters. Their motivations, their changes, their actions compel us to read on, anxiously trying to discern what will happen next.In Dynamic Characters, award-winning author and Writer's Digest columnist Nancy Kress explores the fundamental relationship between characterization and plot, illustrating how vibrant, well-constructed characters act as the driving force behind an exceptional story.Kress balances h...

Is The Wire better than Breaking Bad? Is Cheers better than Seinfeld? What's the best high school show ever made? Why did Moonlighting really fall apart? Was the Arrested Development Netflix season brilliant or terrible?For twenty years-since they shared a TV column at Tony Soprano's hometown newspaper-critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz have been debating these questions and many more, but it all ultimately boils down ...

Discover the Difference Between a So-So Manuscript and a Novel Readers Can't ForgetWe've all read them: novels by our favorite authors that disappoint. Uninspired and lifeless, we wonder what happened. Was the author in a hurry? Did she have a bad year? Has he lost interest altogether?Something similar is true of a great many unpublished manuscripts. They are okay stories that never take flight. They don't grip the imagination, let alone the heart. They mer...

Do you love manga? Now you can learn to draw your own!This book has everything the beginning manga artist needs! You’ll learn how to draw the basic manga head and body types…but that’s just the beginning! Over 100 manga characters—from magical shoujo girls and their super-cute chibi friends to mysterious ninjas and double-crossing villains— are broken down into easy-to-follow steps so you can start drawing all of your favorite manga characters right away!

19 essays on the importance of representation in science fiction and fantasy, with an introduction by author Aliette de Bodard. Proceeds from the sale of this collection go to the Carl Brandon Society to support Con or Bust. Full table of contents: Introduction, by Aliette de Bodard "Breaking Mirrors," by Diana M. Pho "I'm Not Broken," by Annalee Flower Horne "Next Year in Jerusalem," by Gabrielle Harbowy "I am Not ...