Tagged: archives
Blast From the Past: Part Two
Well, I think it’s time for another little round-up from my archives. Here are some of the articles I did a couple of years ago that I’m still quite proud of:
1. 3 Pieces of Advice Authors (Should) Ignore (August 2012)
In this article I round up the 3 most idiotic pieces of advice that authors frequently receive and generally (but not always) ignore. I then explain the reasons why authors should ignore these pieces of advice, with only a few caveats.
2. My Interview with Matt Myklush (August 2012)
My interview with Matt Myklush was one of the very first interviews I did with an author but it’s also one of the ones I’m very proud of because we had a good rapport. It’s really hard to interview authors who give short, non-committal answers but Myklush was amazingly frank and I learned a lot more about his awesome trilogy from the interview.
3. Writers: Beware the False Editor (November 2012)
Early in my blogging career/hobby (?) I was shocked to discover that self-published books were often very poorly edited and often pointed this out to authors. They usually responded with some vague, meaningless excuse but when one author said he had actually hired a professional editor, this revelation spurred me to write this post as a bit of a warning.
4. What I Hate About YA (February 2013)
Spurred on by a spate of bad books, I wrote this rant in which I cataloged all of my grievances with my favourite genre and then had a lively discussion in the comments where other people were able to vent.
5. A Legend Should Never Be Dimmed (January 2013)
This post is especially relevant given some of the current controversies in the news: how does one reconcile a legend with the person that they really were, especially when that person turned out to be horrible in their personal life? I don’t have a clear answer by the end of the post but I think it’s important to ask those questions and examine your own views.
Blast From the Past: Part One
Lots of other blogs with vast archives do this so I figured I might as well try it out too. What is a ‘blast from the past’ here on The Mad Reviewer? Well, for our purposes it will be me plugging some of my older posts way back from 2012 and 2013 (possibly even 2014) that my newer subscribers may have missed. Some of them are not the best written but I’ve definitely improved over time and my older posts are definitely a reflection of my blogging inexperience. They’re still pretty cool, though, if I do say so myself.
So here are some random articles over the years that I’ve particularly liked or had fun writing:
1. Why are Zombies so Scary? (March 2012)
Here in this post I examine the reasons why zombies used to terrify me and why they continue to terrify other people, even with the popularity of shows like The Walking Dead. Read the comment section to discover how zombies are like cows as well.
2. What Makes a Character Memorable? (March 2012)
What makes a character memorable? Why is it that some characters stick out to us and we remember them years later whereas some characters you forget instantly after finishing a book?
3. Accuracy in Historical Fiction (April 2012)
My views surrounding accuracy in historical fiction have slightly changed since this post but the essence of it is true: most history is exciting enough that it doesn’t need to be changed by authors.
4. A Plea for Diversity in Fantasy (April 2012)
No, this isn’t about racial and other diversity (I’ve addressed that in other posts) but instead this was a desperate plea for some unique plots in fantasy, YA fantasy in particular. I think part of my problem at the time was the fact it was the height of Twilight fever and I desperately needed a form of brain bleach to displace all the Team Edward vs. Team Jacob nonsense.
5. Should Reviewers Give Bad Reviews? (July 2012)
Yep, this controversy has raged for years and will continue to go on long after this generation of bloggers quits. Should reviewers give bad reviews or simply not post bad reviews? I think by now you guys know what side I’m on.