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How Do You Write Dialogue?
How to write dialogue in fiction? It’s not like dialogue in reality. So how is it different? How do you punctuate it?
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Cosmopolitan by Akhil Sharma
“Cosmopolitan” is a short story included in The Best American Short Stories 1998. Author Akhil Sharma (born 1971) was only 27 at the time, so this is an example of an author writing about older characters than himself.
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The Picture In The House by H.P. Lovecraft Analysis
“The Picture In The House” is a short story of about 3,300 words by American writer H.P. Lovecraft. You don’t have to have read Lovecraft to have been influenced by the work of Lovecraft. The author was a terrible person and if you don’t want to go back to the source, that’s absolutely fine. Guaranteed,…
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Thick Dark Outlines In Art And Illustration
Thick, dark outlines in art and illustration is associated with several completely different types of art. First, let’s takes a look at thick, dark outlines in fine art, which is a distinctive feature of certain art movements.
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Houses In The Snow
A collection of hygge houses surrounded by snow.
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Fairies in Art and Illustration
Much can be said about fairies but a few nuggets of info have stuck with me as I read about them. Also: Some of my favourite fairy art.
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Snowy Landscapes In Art And Illustration
Like the various underwater scenes, snow can be many colours other than white. The colour of snow depends on the colour of the sky, the ambient light. As you’ll see below, snow can also be quite brightly coloured.
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Stories Which Appeal To The Desire For Self-Sufficiency
World events have an effect on the stories which follow. Take the 9/11 terrorist attack for instance. Commentators have drawn a direct line between that and Mad Men, or rather, the desire for Americans to retreat to a safe 1950s version of America which exists only in modern imaginations. The wish to return to an…
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Warm Yellow Windows Which Look Cosy From a Distance
It’s that time of year again in Australia, where the land becomes brown and dusty, I’m stuck inside to avoid the heat, prepping for Christmas, looking at artwork from the Northern Hemisphere, where 90% of humankind live.
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Domed And Bubble Worlds In Storytelling
What better way to seal off the outside world than by plonking a dome over it? If an island doesn’t work for your story, maybe a literal or figurative dome will?
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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Novel Study
Various notes collected about Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
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How To Write Like John Cheever
American writer John Cheever is sometimes described as Chekov of the Suburbs. If you’ve not encountered Cheever before, perhaps start with his most famous story: “The Swimmer”.
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Lanterns and Street Lighting in Art
For examples of indoor lighting in art and illustration see A History of Home Lighting. Below is a collection of art featuring outdoor lighting and hand-held lanterns.
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The Year Of The Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston and Barbara Cooney
“The Year Of The Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story” (1988) is a picture book written by Dr Gloria Houston, illustrated by Barbara Cooney (1917-2000). You’ll soon realise this picture book is longer than almost all contemporary picture books, which are overwhelmingly pitched at pre-schooler length. This one is an excellent example of a ‘picture…
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The Blue Devils of Blue River Avenue by Poe Ballantine
“The Blue Devils of Blue River Avenue by Poe Ballantine is included in The Best American Short Stories 1998. It kick started the author’s career, leading to a book contract. (Poe Ballantine is a great penname, don’t you think?) Australia’s Richard Fidler interviewed Poe in 2014 when he was here in Australia for the Byron…