Looking for a meaningful and engaging gift to celebrate Mother's Day? The Mother’s Day Word Search 2025 is here! This beautifully crafted puzzle book is filled with words and phrases that capture the warmth, wisdom, and love of motherhood. Whether you're solving it solo or sharing it with family, this collection is a wonderful way to celebrate moms everywhere.

With 60 themed puzzles and over 1,400 words, this book offers hours of fun and relaxation. Designed with large print for easy reading, it’s perfect for all ages, making it an excellent gift for moms, grandmothers, and anyone who enjoys word search puzzles.

Book Highlights

This Mother’s Day Word Search is more than just a puzzle book—it’s a tribute to the amazing women who shape our lives. Here’s what makes it special:

• 🧡 60 Themed Puzzles – Each puzzle is packed with words celebrating motherhood, love, and cherished traditions.
• 💖 Large Print for Easy Reading – Comfortable font size ensures a stress-free solving experience.
• 🧩 Designed for All Ages – Fun for moms, grandmothers, and puzzle lovers of any age.
• 🎁 A Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gift – A great way to honor the special women in your life.
• 📖 Solutions Included – Answer key at the back for easy reference.

Whether you’re giving this book as a gift or solving it yourself, it’s a wonderful way to embrace the spirit of Mother’s Day.

Why This Book is Special

The Mother’s Day Word Search 2025 is designed to celebrate the love and wisdom of mothers everywhere. Each puzzle is packed with words that evoke nostalgia, appreciation, and the cherished moments we share with our loved ones.

Who Will Love This Book?

• Moms who enjoy word puzzles and relaxing activities
• Grandmothers who appreciate meaningful and nostalgic gifts
• Families looking for a fun, screen-free activity to enjoy together
• Anyone who wants to celebrate Mother’s Day in a unique way

The Brain Benefits of Word Searches

Beyond the fun, word search puzzles provide valuable brain benefits. They help improve memory, boost concentration, and reduce stress. Engaging in word searches regularly can enhance cognitive function, making this book an enjoyable and beneficial activity for all ages.

Get Your Copy Today!

Make this Mother’s Day extra special with a gift that brings joy and relaxation! The Mother’s Day Word Search 2025 is available now on Amazon. Order your copy today and enjoy a puzzle-filled tribute to moms everywhere!

Image Gallery

Take a closer look at the Mother's Day Word Search 2025! Browse the images below to see the cover, puzzle pages, and more.

Get ready to welcome spring with a brand-new word search adventure! Spring Word Search 2025 is packed with 60 large print puzzles featuring over 1,400 words inspired by the season of renewal. Whether you love blooming flowers, fresh rain showers, or the sound of birds chirping, this book is a perfect way to celebrate the vibrant energy of springtime.

🌼 What’s Inside?

This word search collection is designed to capture the joy and beauty of spring. Inside, you’ll find:

• 🌸 60 large print puzzles: Easy on the eyes, perfect for all ages.
• 🌦️ 1,400+ themed words: Inspired by flowers, weather, outdoor fun, and more.
• 🌷 Clear and professional layout: Cleanly designed puzzles and solutions for an enjoyable solving experience.
• 🌿 Relaxing and engaging: A perfect activity for quiet afternoons or group fun.

🌷 Why You’ll Love This Book

Spring Word Search 2025 brings the magic of the season to life. It’s great for all ages—kids will love learning new words, adults will enjoy the nostalgia of springtime, and seniors will appreciate the large print format. Word searches are also fantastic for keeping your mind sharp, improving focus, and reducing stress.

Looking for a thoughtful gift? This book makes a wonderful present for puzzle lovers, teachers, and anyone who enjoys celebrating spring!

🌞 Get Your Copy Today!

Spring is here, and there’s no better way to embrace the season than with a fun and relaxing word search! Whether you’re solving alone or with family and friends, this book is sure to bring smiles. Order your copy now and start your spring word search adventure!

Spring is in the air, and what better way to celebrate than with a brand-new puzzle book designed to bring joy to Easter lovers of all ages? Introducing Easter Word Search 2025, the ultimate way to enjoy the season while keeping your mind sharp! Whether you’re looking for a fun family activity, a way to relax with a cup of coffee, or a unique Easter basket stuffer, this book is the perfect pick.

With 60 themed word searches, this book is packed with springtime fun— from Easter bunnies and chocolate eggs to blooming flowers and holiday traditions. Each puzzle is crafted to be both entertaining and engaging, making it a delightful way to celebrate Easter while giving your brain a workout!

What You’ll Find Inside

Easter Word Search 2025 is designed with puzzle enthusiasts in mind, offering a perfect blend of seasonal fun and mental stimulation. Here’s what makes this book a must-have:

• 🐣 60 Festive Puzzles: Enjoy a wide variety of Easter-themed word searches featuring springtime traditions, decorations, and treats.
• 🐰 Large Print for Easy Reading: Every puzzle is designed in a clear, easy-to-read format, making it perfect for all ages.
• 🌷 Themed Word Lists: Find words related to Easter, spring, and seasonal joy— perfect for getting into the holiday spirit.
• 🥚 Solutions Included: Need a hint? The answer key in the back ensures stress-free solving whenever you need it.

From kids to grandparents, everyone can enjoy this relaxing and festive activity. Whether you’re looking for a fun way to pass the time or a unique Easter-themed challenge, this book has something for everyone.

Why This Easter Word Search is a Must-Have

Unlike generic word search books, Easter Word Search 2025 is designed to capture the magic of the season. It’s more than just a puzzle book— it’s an experience that brings families together, encourages mindfulness, and makes learning fun.

This book is perfect for:

• 🌞 Families looking for an Easter-themed activity to enjoy together.
• 📚 Teachers and educators incorporating seasonal puzzles into lesson plans.
• 🎁 Gift-givers searching for a creative and thoughtful Easter basket stuffer.
• 🧠 Puzzle lovers who enjoy keeping their minds sharp while celebrating the season.

Engaging with word search puzzles isn’t just fun— it’s also a great way to boost memory, enhance vocabulary, and reduce stress. Whether you’re solving solo or making it a friendly competition, this book is a fantastic way to unwind and embrace the joy of Easter.

Get Your Copy Today!

Ready to hop into the Easter spirit? Easter Word Search 2025 is available now on Amazon. Don’t miss out on the chance to add this fun and festive puzzle book to your collection— or to surprise a loved one with a unique Easter gift!

Click below to grab your copy today and start solving!

📖 Available now on Amazon!

Who can resist the warm, fluffy comfort of pancakes? If you love pancakes as much as we do, you’ll flip for Pancakes Word Search 2025! This brand-new word search book is packed with deliciously themed puzzles that will satisfy your craving for fun.

With 60 engaging puzzles and hundreds of words related to your favorite breakfast treat, this book is the perfect way to indulge in some brain-boosting entertainment. Whether you're a lifelong pancake enthusiast or just love a good word search, this book delivers a delightful mix of **challenge and nostalgia**. Grab your copy today and start solving your way through a stack of pancake-themed fun!

What’s Inside the Pancakes Word Search 2025?

From classic buttermilk to decadent chocolate chip, each puzzle is stacked with words that celebrate all things pancakes. Here’s what makes this word search book a must-have:

• 🥞 60 Unique Puzzles: Enjoy a variety of challenges, all centered around pancake-themed words.
• 📖 Large Print Format: Easy on the eyes for all ages, making solving effortless and enjoyable.
• 🔎 Solutions Included: Stuck on a word? Flip to the back for a complete set of solutions.
• 🥄 Perfect for All Skill Levels: Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned word search pro, these puzzles are designed for fun and engagement.
• 🎉 A Tasty Theme: Discover words related to pancakes, toppings, syrups, and breakfast favorites.

Each puzzle is carefully crafted to bring joy to puzzle lovers, breakfast enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a relaxing and engaging activity. Plus, solving word searches is a great way to boost vocabulary, improve focus, and unwind after a long day.

Why You’ll Love This Word Search

Pancakes Word Search 2025 isn’t just another puzzle book—it’s a celebration of one of the world’s favorite breakfasts! This book is perfect for:

• 🥞 Pancake Lovers: If you dream of stacks of syrupy goodness, this book is for you.
• 🧩 Word Search Fans: Enjoy fun and relaxing puzzles designed for all ages.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families & Friends: A great way to enjoy screen-free entertainment together.
• 🧠 Brain Training Enthusiasts: Keep your mind sharp and engaged with fun word searches.

Studies show that word searches help with cognitive function, memory retention, and mental agility. Whether you’re solving solo or challenging friends and family, this book offers a stack of benefits—no syrup required!

Get Your Copy Today!

Ready to flip through some pancake-themed word puzzles? Pancakes Word Search 2025 is available now on Amazon. Order your copy today and start solving your way through a deliciously fun challenge!

More Than Just a Word Search

Anyone can make a standard word search book, and plenty of them exist. But with Word Search Adventures, I wanted to create something more immersive. Each book in the series follows a specific theme, and it’s not just about finding words—it’s about exploring a subject, discovering new things, and having fun along the way. The goal here is to take the simple joy of a word search and add layers of engagement, making them a bit more than just a time-filler.

But what makes these things adventurous? I'll tell you. When's the last time you saw a word search based on the witch trials? Or on heavy metal? Or game shows? I'm just getting started with the odd and unusual. I have books planned for haunted furniture, dream interpretation, opposite day, paranormal investigations, post-apocalyptic agriculture, and talking vegetables. And sure, I'm also working on the standard fare for things like Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, the four seasons, and Christmas—among many others.

Designed for Convenience and Challenge

Word Search Adventures books measure 6 x 9 inches, making them easy to carry in your fanny pack. Each one is 94 pages long, with 60 puzzles and a total of 1,440 words or short phrases to find. The list entries don’t repeat, but phrases containing shared words—like “laser bolt” and “laser gun” in the Science Fiction book—do show up in limited numbers. I’ve done my best to minimize those instances both in the entire book and within a single puzzle to keep things fresh. Solutions are included for every puzzle, so you’ll never be stuck, and if you feel like being a dirty cheater, you can. The puzzles are printed in Cabin Condensed at 16-point size, with the clues in Barlow Condensed, also at 16-point, ensuring easy readability.

Great for Gifting

Puzzle books make fantastic gifts. They’re thoughtful, entertaining, and offer a kind of relaxing challenge that appeals to a wide audience. With the themed approach of Word Search Adventures, my books are even better for gift-giving. Know someone who loves comic books? There’s a book for that. Someone who’s into painting? Got 'em covered. Know a fan of post-apocalyptic agriculture? I told you that one's coming up. The series keeps growing, and I’m always prepping new themes to explore (seriously, there's over a hundred in the pipeline, and those were just the first hundred off the top of my head).

Value!

Look, I know you can buy a word search at a newsstand—but those things are printed on cheap paper with flimsy covers, and you're sure as hell not going to find a cheesecake-themed word search at CVS or whatever. When I started this project, I looked at a word search I bought at Barnes & Noble. I paid $9.99, it has 71 puzzles, and the solutions are squished four to a page. Word Search Adventures books for 2025 have 60 puzzles, are priced at $6.99, and the solutions are two to a page. Puzzle-for-puzzle, my books are a 17% better value and you don't need a magnifying glass for the solutions.

Join the Adventure

I'm having a great time creating Word Search Adventures, and I hope people enjoy solving them as much as I enjoy putting them together. If you’re looking for a fresh take on word search puzzles, something that’s more than just a collection of grids, I think you’ll love these books. You can find the full list in the Library, where they each have a description and a link to buy on Amazon.

Strategy 1: The Three-Pass Approach

The three-pass approach is a systematic editing method that allows you to focus on different aspects of your manuscript in each pass. The strategy helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed by the editing process and ensures that you address all of your story’s critical elements.

Pass 1: The Big Picture

In the first pass, focus on your story’s overall structure and flow. Ask yourself questions like:

• Does the plot make sense and hold together?
• Are the characters well-developed and consistent throughout the story?
• Is the pacing appropriate, with a good balance of action, dialogue, and description?
• Are there any plot holes or inconsistencies that need to be addressed?

Don’t worry about finer details like grammar and punctuation during this pass. Instead, concentrate on the big picture and note areas that need improvement. Once you’ve made the necessary changes, re-run the first pass. Only when you’re satisfied should you move on to the second pass.

Pass 2: The Scene Level

In the second pass, look closely at each scene and chapter—largely apart from the others. We’re getting more granular here. Consider the following:

• Does each scene serve a purpose and advance the plot or character development?
• Is the dialogue natural and engaging?
• Are the descriptions vivid and immersive without being overly lengthy?
• Are the transitions between scenes smooth and logical?

This pass ensures that each scene is polished and contributes to the overall narrative. Just like before, make your adjustments and then re-run pass two. Only when you’re satisfied should you move to the final pass.

Pass 3: The Finer Details

The third pass is where you focus on the nitty-gritty details of your manuscript. This includes:

• Proofreading for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors
• Checking for consistency in formatting, such as font, spacing, and chapter headings
• Ensuring that character names, ages, and descriptions remain consistent throughout the story
• Verifying facts, dates, and other details for accuracy

This is where a tool like Grammarly comes in. I have a whole explanation of how and why to use Grammarly to focus on grammar, punctuation, and spelling. It won’t do all the work for you, but understanding its suggestions can be a real time-saver.

By the end of the third pass, your manuscript should be polished and ready for beta readers or professional editing. That’s right, you still need a professional editor (even if you have beta readers). Competition is at an all-time high between the ocean of self-published books and the incoming flood of AI-generated stuff. A book needs to stand out, and working with a reputable professional editor elevates it.

Pros and Cons of the Three-Pass Method

• Pro: It’s a very thorough method. If you use it carefully, you’ll have a much better manuscript at the end of it.
• Con: Your manuscript needs to be finished. You’re not ready for editing if you haven’t written THE END yet. That’s a con because you could discover during the first pass that something you did halfway through the book needs to be changed, which could necessitate rewriting a massive chunk of the back half. It happens.
• Pro: Note that I didn’t recommend using AI or other tools (except for Grammarly to catch spelling & punctuation issues). The big pro of the three-pass approach is that with all the reading and re-reading, you become very familiar with your work. When writing query letters, blurbs, or summaries, you’ll have intimate knowledge of the work.
• Con: Editing will take a long time for manuscripts that need a lot of work. Repeating the first and second passes can seem like editing is taking forever, and new and inexperienced writers could feel overwhelmed.

Strategy 2: The Reverse Outline Method

The reverse outline method involves creating an outline of your completed manuscript to analyze its structure and identify areas for improvement. This strategy is particularly helpful if you're a pantser, someone who writes without a detailed outline—you know, the crazy people¹. If you've deviated significantly from your original outline during the writing process, the reverse outline can point out areas that need to be brought back in line.

To create a reverse outline:

1. Read through your manuscript and make a list of each scene or chapter, summarizing the main events and character developments in a few sentences.
2. Review your list and look for any inconsistencies, plot holes, or pacing issues.
3. Identify scenes that may need to be added, removed, or rearranged to improve the flow and coherence of your story.
4. Use your reverse outline as a guide for your next round of edits, focusing on the areas that need the most attention.

The reverse outline method can offer a fresh perspective on your story and ensure that all the pieces fit together seamlessly. But while this method certainly works for many writers, between reverse outlining and the three-pass approach, I’d choose the three-pass approach.

But I’ll lay out my preferred method in a moment. One sec.

Pros and Cons of Reverse Outlining

• Pro: It’s super straightforward. I mean, look at that. Four steps.
• Con: It’s deceptively simple. I mean, look at that. Four steps. This method can be too high-level and not granular enough.
• Con: It can feel strange to outline something after it’s written, especially if you haven’t done it before. This is a minor con, admittedly.

Strategy 3: Edit as You Write (BLASPHEMY!)

I think I’ve been looking forward to this section the most because not only is it damn near heretical in most circles, it’s the way I write, and that makes me a rebel. Sure, I’ve tried other methods, but this comes so naturally to me that it feels like it’s how I’ve always done things.

“When once I get to the end of a piece of work, whether it’s a quickie short-short or a ten-pound novel, I bloody well feel finished. When I write The End, I mean it.”

Lawrence Block, Telling Lies for Fun & Profit (p. 110). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

This man is my hero. In fact, I’m in the middle of writing “Stealing Time: Ten Things I Learned From Lawrence Block” and plan to have that up soon.

It’s very simple: whether I write 100 or 1,000 words on a Monday, I go back and edit those words before writing new material on Tuesday. Or, more accurately, I go back and work on a couple of pages before starting anything new.

Writing with my editor’s hat on helps me maintain a clearer focus and direction throughout the creative process. By continuously refining the work, I can identify and address potential issues early on, saving myself time and effort in the long run. Editing as I write allows me to ensure that each scene, character, and plot point is serving its intended purpose and that my story is progressing in a logical and engaging manner.

I think the most valuable thing I’ve learned with this method is that editing while writing can help develop a more critical eye for the work. Becoming accustomed to analyzing and refining the writing in real-time means becoming a more effective self-editor overall. This skill is invaluable for any writer, as it enables us to produce cleaner, more polished first drafts and reduces the amount of revision needed in later stages of the editing process. In short, you write better as you progress with this method, unlike the methods that require a finished manuscript before editing can begin.

Pros and Cons of My Favorite Method

• Pro: When you’re done, you’re done.
• Con: It takes a non-zero amount of courage to walk away from the finished manuscript. In theory, you’re done when you’re done, but in practice, it can be hard not to go back and fiddle with the manuscript.
• Pro: Reading back what you recently wrote has the same benefit as the passes in the three-pass method: you reiterate the work in your mind and get to know it more intimately.
• Con: You must know what you’re doing in the editing, which is a big deal. That’s not to say you need professional-level editing skills, but if you’re inexperienced with editing on both the developmental and copy levels, you might be better off with a different method for a while.
• Pro: The sense of accomplishment persists through the process. Knowing that chapter one is tight as you enter chapter two is a blessing.
• Con: Pure pantsers, the ones with no outline and zero idea where the story is going, may suffer. For them, this method, coupled with a good developmental edit on the completed manuscript, is likely the best course of action.

Last Thing

Remember what I said about needing a professional editor? If you want to see your book on the shelves at Barnes & Noble, you need one. Self-editing is an important step—required, even—but a book will turn out much, much better under the guidance of a good professional editor. When you’d like to know more about freelance editors, visit the EFA and ACES. They’ll steer you right.

1. Someone once asked Mary Robinette Kowal on an episode of Writing Excuses what she thought Plotters could learn from Pantsers. She responded, “Joy?” I love that. Nothing against the “crazy” ones—we Plotters are just wired a little different. ↩︎

“I hate Chosen One stories! The Chosen One prophecy is so overdone! If I have to sit through one more Chosen One story—”

Prophecies have long been a staple of fantasy and, perhaps to a lesser extent, science fiction stories. They’re a powerful narrative device that can shape the course of a story and the lives of its characters, and I promise, there’s more to it than the dreaded Chosen One prophecy. When crafted with skill and care, prophecies can add layers of complexity, create a sense of epic scale, and keep readers engaged with the promise of revelations to come. Let's look at the ways prophecies can enrich fantasy tales.

Foreshadowing and World-Building

At its core, a prophecy is a form of foreshadowing, hinting at the significant events that will unfold as the story progresses. A well-constructed prophecy can build anticipation in readers’ minds, making them eager to see how the predictions will come to pass. This sense of inevitability can lend a feeling of weight and significance to the narrative, as readers understand that the characters are caught up in something greater than themselves.

Beyond foreshadowing, prophecies can serve as a powerful tool for world-building, offering a glimpse into the setting’s metaphysical underpinnings. The existence of prophecies implies a world where fate, destiny, and maybe even divine intervention are tangible forces shaping the lives of characters and the world’s history. Writers can create a sense of depth and history in their universes by exploring the origins, interpretations, and cultural significance of prophecies.

George R.R. Martin created the prophecy of the “prince that was promised” in A Song of Ice and Fire. This prophecy not only hints at the potential savior who will defend the world against the encroaching darkness but also serves to flesh out the mythology and religious beliefs of the various cultures within the story. The prophecy is woven into the fabric of the world; it influences characters’ actions and shapes the political landscape. It’s more than just a prediction because it’s a fundamental aspect of the setting itself.

Character Development and Agency

Prophecies can also profoundly impact character development, forcing characters to confront questions of free will, destiny, and personal agency. A character who is the subject of a prophecy might struggle with the weight of expectation placed upon them, questioning whether they can shape their own future or if they’re merely puppets of fate (or of some higher power). This internal conflict can be a great source of psychological exploration, adding depth and nuance to a character’s journey.

A character aware that they’re part of a prophecy could feel like they have no say in their own life, and writers need to handle prophecies with care when it comes to character agency. If a prophecy feels too rigid or prescriptive, it can rob a character of their ability to make meaningful choices and grow as an individual. The most compelling prophecies leave room for interpretation, subversion, and the possibility of defiance. They should serve as a catalyst for character development rather than a constraint.

One example of a prophecy that strikes this balance can be found in the Harry Potter series. And let’s get this out of the way: I will not, on this website, avoid talking about a generational work like Harry Potter just because its author is becoming known more for her bad politics than her writing.

The prophecy that sets the stage for Harry’s confrontation with Lord Voldemort is open-ended enough to allow for multiple interpretations. It speaks of a child with the power to defeat the Dark Lord but does not specify which child or how it will come to pass. How different might that story be if it actually had been about Neville Longbottom? He fulfilled all the requirements, after all. But, the ambiguity allows Harry to develop throughout the series, grappling with the burden of the prophecy and ultimately choosing to confront Voldemort on his own terms.

Subverting Expectations

While prophecies can create a sense of inevitability and shape reader expectations, they can also be used to subvert those very expectations. A skilled writer can use prophecies to misdirect readers, planting false leads and setting up surprising twists that force readers to re-evaluate their assumptions.

Maybe a prophecy is fulfilled in an unexpected way. The predicted events might come to pass, but in a manner that defies readers’ (and characters’) anticipations. Or, a prophecy may be revealed to be incomplete, misinterpreted, or even deliberately misleading. These subversions can be incredibly satisfying for the audience as they challenge readers’ assumptions and keep them engaged with the story.

In the original Star Wars trilogy, the prophecy of the one who would bring balance to the Force was a central theme. Luke Skywalker seemingly fulfilled this role by redeeming Darth Vader and helping to destroy the Emperor. Later, George Lucas subverted his own prophecy in the prequel trilogy by revealing that Anakin, Luke’s father, was originally believed to be the Chosen One. Qui-Gon (and then Obi-Wan) believed that Anakin had the potential to bring balance to the Force. Ironically, Anakin’s fall to the dark side and transformation into Darth Vader led to the near-extermination of the Jedi Order, throwing the Force further out of balance. It’s almost as if the prophecy was subverted once by naming Anakin as the Chosen One and then again by having Anakin actually make things worse.

(But let’s not start on what “bring balance to the Force” means. People have been debating that for a couple of decades at this point.)

Moving Beyond the Chosen One

What do Anakin Skywalker, Harry Potter, Neo, Aang, and Buffy Summers all have in common? Don’t play dumb. You know.

As popular as it is, there’s far more to prophecy than The Chosen One. Don’t let the modern aversion to Chosen One stories steer you away from prophecies in general. Set your imagination loose. What do these phrases mean to you? How can you use them in your own work?

The Prophecy…
…of Doom!
…of Hope!
…of Betrayal!
…of Sacrifice!
…of Destiny!
…of Warning!
…of Renewal!
…of Unity!

Yeah, The Prophecy of Destiny sounds silly, but what are we if not entertainers? Pick a noun. Make a prophecy out of it. Go forth and create.

What makes a truly memorable villain who sticks with you long after the final page or roll of the credits? It's all about adding layers and depth, crafting a nuanced character whose motivations and persona make sense, even when their actions are deplorable. Here are three keys to developing iconic antagonists people love to hate.

Give Them Real Motivations

What do Doctor Doom (Marvel Comics), Walter White (Breaking Bad), Dolores Umbridge (Harry Potter), and Annie Wilkes (Misery) have in common? The greatest villains don't see themselves as evil. In their minds, they have perfectly justifiable motivations driving their actions, no matter how twisted they may seem to us. A compelling backstory goes a long way in humanizing an antagonist.

Think about Killmonger from Black Panther. His brutal childhood exposure to the harsh realities of the world outside Wakanda shaped his radical views. We understood why he resented T'Challa and Wakanda's isolationism, even if we couldn't agree with his methods. Dodgy CGI aside, his believable motivations elevated him from a generic “take over the world” villain into a layered, memorable character.

When developing your villain, explore the experiences that molded their worldview. Perhaps a traumatic event sent them down a dark path. Or maybe their skewed logic leads them to view themselves as the hero of their own story. The key is grounding their motivations in something understandable and human.

Take Action: Write a brief backstory for your antagonist, focusing on the experiences that shaped their worldview and motivations.

Form Complex Relationships

Adding complex relationships is another powerful way to make your villains stand out and feel multi-dimensional. The best antagonists aren't just solo acts; their dynamics with those around them can hint at hidden shades and layers waiting to be uncovered.

Take Walter White's tangled web of relationships on Breaking Bad. His descent was fueled by his drive to provide for his family, yet it also destroyed those closest bonds. The complicated relationships with Skyler, Jesse, and others made his character richer and more real. We understood his motivations even as we recoiled at his darkness.

Whether it's a bloodied history with the hero, a twisted love for their second-in-command, or a startling tenderness toward an unlikely person, well-crafted relationships underscore that no villain is pure evil. They have intricate lives and ties that make us wonder—under different circumstances, could I have ended up on that path?

Take Action: Create a secondary character who is personally connected to your antagonist and explore how this relationship influences the antagonist’s actions and decisions.

Give Them Moments of Humanity

Even the greatest villains shouldn't be one-dimensional monsters. To truly capture hearts and minds, they need glimpses of vulnerability and humanity amidst the darkness. These moments make us empathize with them, no matter how horrific their actions. Of all the terrible people on Game of Thrones, one of the terrible-est is Cersei Lannister.

And yet Cersei’s emotional confession about her crippling Walk of Shame was a compelling moment for the character. She revealed the terror of that degrading experience, making her seem almost pitiable. For a few brief moments, we saw her fragility.

When developing your villain, look for opportunities to peel back the layers and expose aspects of their painful backstory or inner life. Maybe a surprising show of affection for a loved one. Or a rare hint of remorse for their actions. These humanizing glimpses create intriguing dissonance about their character.

Take Action: Identify three humanizing things about your antagonist. What are they afraid of? Who do they love? What emotional wounds do they bear?

Ready? Let's explore the complex issue of incorporating real-world cultural elements into fantasy settings. It can be tricky to balance respectfully borrowing inspiration and inadvertently misrepresenting or appropriating another culture, but with some mindful approaches, I think we can navigate it properly.

Research, Research, Research

The first key principle: Do your homework. I can't stress this enough. If you want to evoke the richness of another culture's traditions, mythologies, clothing, architecture, etc., in your fantasy world, you'd better be putting in the research hours. Don't just skim the surface; really immerse yourself in understanding the history, nuances, and significance behind those cultural elements. 

Because here's the thing—cultures aren’t grab-bags of cool visuals to pluck random stuff from just because it looks neat. Every tradition, symbol, and practice is deeply intertwined with a people’s experience, beliefs, and identity. If you transplant something into your fictional setting without grasping its real-world meaning and context, you risk diminishing or distorting it through reductive fantasy stereotypes. And that's where things can quickly veer into inappropriate appropriation territory.

Now, I'm not saying this research has to be stuffy or academic. In fact, some of the best ways to start are super immersive. Cook up some traditional cuisine, attend local cultural celebrations if you can, read first-hand accounts and fictional works by authors from that culture. Let the flavors, sights, and words gradually soak into your creative mindset.

Respectful Integration

Once you've done that substantive groundwork, you can look for organic ways to weave in evocative cultural details that ring true to their inspirations. Don't be afraid to put your own fantastical spin on things as long as the foundations are well-understood and respectfully rendered.

Because if we writers don't put in that work? Well, we risk falling back on cringeworthy fantasy tropes about mystical, incomprehensible cultures seen only through an outside lens. You've read those stories where beliefs are flattened into mere superstition, societies are depicted as exotic curiosities, and cultural heritages are boiled down into meaningless window-dressing for a western-centric narrative. The Planet of Hats trap is very real.

I don't know about you, but that's not the kind of fantasy I want to put out into the world. We've got enough of that reductive, appropriative stuff already. As contemporary world-builders, we've got an opportunity (and, I'd argue, a responsibility) to depict the cultures we borrow from with authenticity and empathy.

Does that mean you have to be a cultural anthropologist to write good fantasy? Of course not. But it does mean putting in the work to truly know what you're quoting from the real world. It means having humility and openness to listen to cultural voices that can guide you. And most importantly, it means caring enough to handle other traditions and identities with care, awareness, and basic human respect.

And that's what the ethical incorporation of cultural elements boils down to: respect. Mutual respect between creators and cultures. Respect for research over assumptions. Respect for the power of story to divide or unite.

“Whatever. I've heard all this before.”

You've made it this far, and maybe you're brushing off the message. Research, respect, empathy, whatever. Nothing new here. You've heard it all before. Good! That means the message is getting around. It means people are more widely adopting a mindset of respect for other cultures. I know I'm not breaking new ground here; of course I do. That's not the point. I aim to add my voice to the many who want to see a change in the way we approach other cultures.

Let's get back to writing, even when it feels impossible.

1. Change Your Environment

Sometimes, all it takes to get those creative juices flowing again is a change of scenery. Moving from my usual home office workspace to somewhere new—even just the living room—can make a big difference. A new setting can offer a fresh perspective and kickstart your creativity, whether it's a coffee shop, a park, or just a living room. Yours, though. Not mine.

2. Set Small Goals

Looking at a big project can be overwhelming, especially when you're stuck. Breaking it down into smaller, more manageable tasks can help. Focus on writing just one paragraph, or even one sentence, at a time. It's about making progress, no matter how small, and gradually building momentum.

3. Try Freewriting

When I'm really stuck, I sometimes turn to freewriting. This means writing non-stop for a set period without worrying about grammar, spelling, or making sense. It's a way to bypass the inner critic and let your thoughts flow freely. You might be surprised at what comes out when you're not overthinking it.

4. Cut Out Distractions

Common wisdom suggests turning off phones, going offline, and blocking out as much outside stimulus as possible. I'm here to tell you that sometimes you just can't, and that's okay. Work to identify the things that distract you and deal with them individually. For example, silence is actually very distracting to me, so I write with music in the background. Identify your own distractors and make a plan.

5. Read

Yes, it might seem counterintuitive to read when you're struggling to write, but I do find it helpful. Reading other people's work can inspire new ideas and get you excited about writing again. It's not about copying what others have done but reminding yourself why you love writing in the first place.

6. Bonus Suggestion!

Stop. Just stop writing for a while. Go for a walk. Get a cheeseburger. Play a game. Do anything else, as long as it's completely unrelated to writing. You'll hear people drone on about how you have to write every day. No, you don't. Like anyone else in any other profession, you're allowed a day off.

Just don't let those off days pile up.

Writer's block doesn't have to be a dead end. With these strategies, you can navigate it and find your way back to writing. Remember: every writer goes through this, and it's just a part of the process. Keep pushing, and the words will start flowing again.

1. It’s correct more often than not

It’s not perfect, but if you know the rules of grammar, it saves a ton of time. More often than not, Grammarly accurately identifies and corrects grammar and spelling errors, ensuring that your writing is polished and error-free. Its ability to recognize subtle nuances of language, such as subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency, and pronoun-antecedent agreement, is remarkable. Moreover, Grammarly's continuous updates and machine learning capabilities enable it to evolve and adapt to new language trends, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of grammatical accuracy—and as a descriptivist, that matters to me. I want an editor, human or otherwise, to work by a set of rules, but I want consistent updates to those rules.

2. It’s educational

And if you don’t know the rules of grammar—or if you’re just rusty on some of them—Grammarly can help you learn. By presenting alternative suggestions and explanations for corrections, the tool provides valuable insights into grammar rules and writing conventions. It helps users understand why specific edits are necessary, enabling them to learn from their mistakes and improve their writing skills. Additionally, Grammarly encourages a proactive approach to editing by highlighting potential errors and explaining its suggested changes.

But sometimes, Grammarly is wrong.

It’s not often wrong about the little stuff, the minor imperfections that are easily fixed. It tells you correctly every time you miss a comma before the and between two independent clauses. Those kinds of catches come easy. Sometimes, though, something slips through.

To further enhance the editing process, users can cross-reference the tool's suggestions with reputable grammar and style resources such as The Elements of Style by Strunk and White or The Chicago Manual of Style. These resources complement Grammarly's suggestions, allowing users to better understand grammar principles.

3. It’s free (and even Grammarly Premium is cheap)

I’ve been paying for Grammarly Premium for a few years because I enjoy the extra functionality, but it’s not required for anyone on a strict budget. With premium access, users gain access to advanced features such as style suggestions, clarity improvements, and genre-specific writing checks—but it’s $12/month. Grammarly’s free tier is enough for casual writing, and I suggest using it for a few months before pulling the trigger on the premium level. Users might find that free is sufficient.

It’s a great first step

Grammarly is not just a powerful tool for writing and editing; it is also an exceptional stepping stone toward mastering grammar, editing, and writing. A bold assertion, I know. But, Grammarly’s accurate corrections and personalized suggestions empower users to learn from their mistakes and understand the intricacies of grammar rules. By providing explanations and alternative suggestions, Grammarly instills confidence in users to make informed choices and helps them develop a discerning eye for grammar, style, and clarity.

When I’m looking for something to read, I don’t pay for unedited work. I don’t even really want to read unedited work, even for free. Novelists, short story writers, whoever—your work needs to be edited to reach its full potential. Starting with Grammarly is a solid first step. Use it before sending your work to a human editor, and you’ll save time and money.

I write because writing is sometimes fun, sometimes interesting, sometimes enlightening. It’s also occasionally frustrating, stressful, and infuriating. Suffering for one’s writing art is de rigueur more and more these days, but I reject the notion that one must “open a vein and bleed” all over the page. Writing is almost always difficult to one degree or another, but what’s the worth of any project that doesn’t involve a bit of challenge?

Writing is enjoyable, and I publish what I’ve written because I want people to enjoy my characters, stories, and ideas.

Simple as that.

As for what I get out of writing? A sense of accomplishment. Pride. Joy. Humility when others read and respond to my stories. And it’s the compact with the reader that brings me to my final bit for today.

My pledge: no content warnings

I’m still formalizing what will become my personal laws of writing, but first among them is this: my work will never need a content warning. That’s not to say bad things won’t happen to good people or that the work won’t be challenging. What it does mean is that rape is off the table. There’s rarely a good reason to put a character through that ordeal and too few writers have the skill required to handle the subject with care.

To those who would say that removing such things is ignoring part of life, I say this: fictional stories aren’t histories. I have no obligation to play by the rules of reality, only the rules of the realities I create.

I turned in my final work at the end of April, attended my virtual graduation ceremony in May, and then I promptly took about five months off from anything school-related. As I write this on November 28, 2021, I feel a little bittersweet about the whole thing now.

SNHU was too interesting, too much fun. It was wonderful and frustrating. I didn't really want it to end.

Statistics and Whatever the Opposite of Statistics Is

My time at SNHU commenced on Monday, July 1, 2019, and ended on April 25, 2021 (officially) for a total time of 665 days. This relatively short amount of time was made possible thanks to my transfer credits, and could have been shorter had I doubled up each term (but I'm glad I didn't).

I took 18 classes over 11 terms.

The lowest grade for any course was 97.4%. The highest course grade was 100% (for HUM-200, LIT-200, ENG-350, and IDS-404).

There was a 19th class that I haven't mentioned and didn't bother to recap. Sophia.org in 2020 offered free classes that were eligible to transfer for credit at SNHU. The only one they had that was useful to me was Public Speaking, the equivalent of COM-212. It was also an 8-week term, but I blasted through it in half the time because it wasn't time-sensitive.

Final GPA: 4.0

I made the President's List every term that I was eligible to do so.

It was five terms before I got a grade under an A on any assignment (week six in LIT-229—got a B on a journal).

Favorite Course: It's a tie between the three fiction writing workshops, but in reverse chronological order within that tie (ENG-359 > ENG-349 > ENG-329).

Least Favorite Course: MAT-125 and it's not even close. I should have tried to get out of it somehow because I didn't need a college math course to teach me what a triangle is.

Advice for Prospective Students

Each of my course recaps has a section of advice specific to that course; here, I will offer broader tips for anyone thinking of enrolling at SNHU.

Don't be nervous. This is especially salient if you're going back to school (or going for the first time) as an older student. You've experienced life. Your head is in a different place than it was the last time you were in school. Most importantly, you are choosing to pursue an interest on your terms. The odds do not simply lean in your favor, they overwhelmingly support you.

Ask questions. You will not understand the process until you've done it. Aspects of the curriculum and the software are not intuitive. Fumble around, learn by doing, but ask questions liberally.

You're there to learn, so learn. Open yourself up to everything thrown at you. You may not agree with certain perspectives, some perspectives may not be relevant, but such is life. A student in LIT-450 refused to read To Kill a Mockingbird. I still wonder what happened to her.

Manage your expectations. Some degree programs lead to six-figure positions, others do not; even the lucrative industries can become glutted, driving down prospects. Use statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to research the career you desire.

Solidify your support system. Your friends and family need to respect your decision to pursue an education. Don't spend time or energy worrying about those who don't. Find your supporters and lean on them; it might be that your fellow students become your support system. Nothing wrong with that.

Time management is vital. I've said elsewhere, and I stand by it still, that 80% of success in both school and life comes from proper time management. Your talent, skill, dedication, drive, and all the other things they make motivation posters about can take you far. Without time management, none of it matters.

And finally,

Enjoy yourself. The decision to pursue higher education is a big one. If you're not excited by it, if you're not looking forward to the next class, you may have a problem. Perhaps you're in the wrong degree program. Perhaps your support system isn't as supportive as it needs to be. But maybe all you need is a different perspective. Talk to other students, talk to professors. The work will be, at times, difficult. Not every course will be up your alley. But, on the whole, if you aren't enjoying yourself, something needs to change.

What I've Been Doing Since

I would like to say that upon graduation I secured a writing gig with a major publisher and I'm now a world-famous writer. I'd like to say that… but I managed my expectations. My expectation was never to graduate with an English degree and then quit my job for something writing-related. I knew at the start, and I was quite correct, that my education was about long-term prospects. Being a writer, especially a writer of fiction, has never been a fast or easy career path.

After graduation, I gave more to my day job, which hadn't been receiving my full attention while I studied. My wife and kids have seen more of me. I breathed in, I breathed out.

Since graduating from SNHU I've written, submitted to a contest or two, and most importantly, I've planned. Novelists don't get very far without a plan, after all. No, I will not share that plan here. I learned ages ago not to announce anything that isn't immediately forthcoming. The planning is going well. The writing is even better. I'll have much to share in 2022 and beyond.

I got exactly what I wanted out of my time as a middle-aged college student. I don't regret a moment.

/r/books, /r/comedywriting, /r/fantasywriters, /r/KeepWriting, /r/PubTips, /r/scifiwriting, /r/Screenwriting, /r/worldbuilding, /r/write, /r/writers, /r/writing, and /r/WritingPrompts

Whew. Seems like a lot now that I type it all out—but I know there are dozens more that I haven't discovered yet.

These subs, especially those that lean toward advice-giving, tend to have a few things in common.

Is it Okay?

Some new writers look for validation. Is it okay to write a character of a different gender? Is it okay to write a character from a different culture? Is it okay to acknowledge world events like a war or pandemic? Is it okay to…?

Just write your story.

The answer to every question like this is yes. You can write whatever characters you like, from a variety of cultures, in a wide range of circumstances. If the question boils down to “is it okay,” the answer is always yes.

Research what you do not have first-hand experience with. Revision is the time and place to fix errors or sensitivity issues. Until then, just get the story down on paper.

Insignificant Details

Some planning is required. Those intending to write a novel should know the approximate word count expected by agents and editors—and those word counts differ by genre. Some planning is not required. Ideal word count per chapter? Which font to use? Which writing tool to use?

Just write your story.

There is no “best” tool to use. Many authors use Microsoft Word. Others use something like Scrivener. Still others write longhand, and I know that someone, somewhere, still uses a typewriter. The tool doesn't matter. The number of words in a chapter doesn't matter: I just finished Station Eleven, and there are chapters less than a full page long (chapter 35 is just 147 words long, for example).

And as for fonts? Write in Comic Sans if it makes you productive. It literally, not figuratively, does not matter because you'll convert that font to Times New Roman, with the click of a button, before sending the manuscript to an agent or editor.

Is it Possible?

This one comes up fairly frequently, and it usually takes the form of “Is it possible to accomplish a thing I'd like to accomplish within the [artificial] constraints [that I'm giving myself]?”

Just write your story.

Yes, it's possible to create a sympathetic character in just one chapter. Yes, it's possible to tell a story spanning 3,000 years in just one book. Yes, it's possible to sell short stories, collect them in an anthology, and then sell that. Yes, it's possible to get published without an MFA (or any degree at all).

Take a look at Amazon sometime. Everything is possible.

And a Word about Advice

I've read On Writing. I've read Strunk & White. I've read Story and Save the Cat. I've read more than a few how-to books (both in and out of my college writing courses), and they are all… fine. That's all they are. Just fine.

There is no silver bullet that makes writing easier. Shortcuts don't exist, no book will tell you The One True Way to be a successful author, and nothing—nothing—will write your story for you.

If you set out to write a book without adverbs just because Elmore Leonard told you to, if you “kill your darlings” just because it's the current prevailing common “wisdom,” you're doing it wrong. There are few rules when the story is good enough and no rules at all for a first draft. Don't listen to anyone who says otherwise, whether it's Stephen King or some rando on Reddit.

Just write your story.

Obviously, the reputation didn't match the reality. Those students go on to actually make movies, after all.

But when I looked at my required classes and needed to choose an IDS class to finish out my education, I fell into that old trap. I picked “Popular Culture” because I figured we'd get to talk about movies and TV and music. How hard could it be? I've been steeped in pop culture for 30 years.

Turns out, I was almost right.

About IDS-404

I'd like to first share what SNHU itself says about this course in the school catalog.

Explore theoretical approaches to a study of Popular Culture through the interdisciplinary lenses of academic inquiry (historical, humanistic, socio-cultural, and scientific). Analyze the broad spectrum of popular culture as a significant driving force behind the transmission of culture and the impact on shaping the individual. Develop a knowledge base that promotes social responsibility, media literacy, and the critical thinking skills that promote cross-cultural intersections.

SNHU Online Course Catalog

Ignore all of that. Students choose something from pop culture—I chose Captain America—and examine that thing through the lenses of history, social sciences, natural and applied sciences, and humanities. It sounds like a lot, but it isn't.

Truly! The key here is to not overthink things.

The coursework is straightforward. There are discussions pretty much every week, milestones for the final project, and the final project itself. The final project is a paper/PowerPoint combo, but it doesn't have onerous requirements. It's pretty enjoyable, really.

The Professor

This is, I think, the first time I've had a section devoted to the professor. True, I've had something to say about each one along the way, but Dr. Lauren R. O’Connor deserves a special callout. She couldn't be better suited to a course like this.

My topic was going to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and my project proposal was pretty good. Dr. O'Conner expertly picked apart the flaw in my plan and suggested I narrow it down to one character. I agreed, chose Captain America, and then she and I through messages had a wonderful back-and-forth about Cap in pop culture over the rest of the term.

I had a lot of great professors, but this is the first time I've specifically said: Prospective students would do well to request Dr. O'Connor.

The Final Project

I mean, sure, you're going to write a 10-page research paper and create an associated PowerPoint presentation complete with speaker notes. It sounds like a lot.

It isn't.

The PowerPoint will use the paper for material, so students need only find suitable imagery. It's another case of the school giving students a chance to brush up on PowerPoint skills.

Advice for Students Registering for IDS-404 at SNHU

• There's already something in popular culture that you know quite a lot about, isn't there? Chose that thing. We live in an era where nearly everything has been examined half to death, so there shouldn't be much that doesn't have plenty of resources to support your thesis.
• Have fun. You're likely taking this at or near the end of your time at SNHU, so have some fun with it. A good grade isn't hard to earn here, so it behooves you to take some chances, have some fun, and relax about it.

In the End

IDS-404 isn't about watching movies all day or talking about the music we like, but it's interesting and fun nonetheless. It's also one of the easiest courses I had in my time at SNHU because there was almost no pressure!

Final grade: A (100%)

Not gonna lie, it felt good to end my time at SNHU with a perfect grade.

About ENG-421

Remember ENG-340: Context of Writing? It was my fifth (of 14) course at SNHU, and my chief complaint was that I felt the course came out of order. “In short,” I said, “if you don't have a fully-realized idea for a novel, you're about screwed.” I suggested the proper order for students should be ENG-329 (Fiction Workshop) > ENG-349 (Intermediate Workshop) > ENG-340 > ENG-359 (Advanced Workshop).

I stand by that and would slot ENG-421 immediately after ENG-359. By the end of the Advanced Fiction Workshop students have 20–30 pages of a novel, or several short stories, and they are ready for what ENG-421 offers.

Students write a query letter, just like in ENG-340. They write a synopsis, just like in ENG-340. They do audience research and establish authorial identity, just like in ENG-340.

There's a bit of overlap, is what I'm saying.

But this course goes much further. Students create a website, establish a social media presence, and draft content for that website or blog. This is ENG-340 taken to its logical end: a complete authorial presence and publishing plan. It sounds like a lot, and it can be, but there isn't anything super difficult here.

The Textbooks

Build Your Author Platform: The New Rules: A Literary Agent’s Guide to Growing Your Audience in 14 Steps
by Carole Jelen and Michael McCallister

The Art of Digital Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Creating Strategic, Targeted, and Measurable Online Campaigns
by Ian Dodson

Ignore them both. They are outdated and offer bad advice. I've been working in digital marketing and web design for 15 years. Trust me. There's a reason the syllabus even says to “scan” and “skim” these books.

The Final Project

Your final project is your shiny new website! You'll write content for it and turn in a synopsis that covers the aforementioned things like the query letter and audience research. Again, there's not much to this course and the final project reflects that.

I say that as I've just finished writing the recap for ENG-450, a course that was exhausting. This class was a breeze.

Advice for Students Registering for ENG-421 at SNHU

Don't worry. Don't overthink things. You don't have to be a professional web designer, and this course won't teach you to be one. Anyone can put together a WordPress-based site. You can do it. No problem. And the rest? You've done much of it already in ENG-340. Use that. Build on it.

And once again: try to schedule this immediately after ENG-359. You'll be in creative mode, you'll have your material fresh on your mind, and you'll skate through this class like a champ.

In the End

What else can I say? My final term at SNHU was a good one.

Final grade: A (99.75%)

If my college education was a movie, ENG-359 would be the climax, and LIT-450 (plus the next two courses) would be the last 15 minutes of the film that tries to wrap up the loose ends (except my ending was 16 weeks long, so it was more like The Return of the King that way). If it was a novel, I would have hit the climax only to realize that there were a hundred pages to go.

I'll reiterate this in the advice section, but I strongly suggest taking this class on its own. If you can spare the time, if you're cool with possibly adding an extra term, do try to take this one by itself. It's a lot.

About LIT-450

You're going to read three novels and seven short stories in just eight weeks. Strap in.

What sets this course apart from the rest is that it's themed. I'll let the school explain directly from the syllabus:

This course uses a thematic approach [. . .] specific selections and authors vary each term according to the theme. This is an upper-level course involving close reading, analysis and writing in seminar format. Not available every semester. Writing intensive course.

LIT-450 Syllabus updated 10/24/2020, Southern New Hampshire University

Our theme was “loss of innocence,” and each of the novels and short stories ticks that box perfectly. Prospective students may have a completely different theme, so specific details of this recap may not strictly apply. The course itself, the bones of it, should be the same.

My professor was Dr. Christiana Ares-Christian, which is an amazing name rooted in mythology. She was a fantastic instructor who graded fairly and deeply engaged with the discussions. When I had questions, she had answers, and she provided them quickly.

Course Materials

Remember, this might not apply to you.

Week one began with Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. I was floored when I learned we were to read it, given that most of us read it in high school. I didn't expect to see it in a senior-level college course. The study was no deeper than what a high school curriculum would require, making its inclusion all the more confusing.

Side story: we had a student in the class who refused to read it. She said the novel is racist and simply would not read it or turn in any work related to it. She didn't (or perhaps couldn't) drop the course, but I don't know how the school handled things after her initial discussion post—naturally, I didn't ask. The related coursework amounted to about 250 points, so it seems unlikely she could have passed.

We began the second novel in week four: Russell Banks' 1995 novel Rule of the Bone. I had a bit of a hard time with this novel, and I'm not sure I would have continued after the first couple of chapters had I not been required to read it. The vibe at the top is tough to push through; plenty of bad things happen to every character, one of whom is a kid. I'm glad I stuck with it, because it's amazing. I found myself reading ahead of the discussion prompts, finishing the book weeks before the final classwork. If you find yourself put off by the first few chapters, I encourage you to keep going.

The third book is an anthology, The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction, second edition (2007). I found it to be inferior to the book used in two previous classes, 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories, though a few of the stories overlap.

The short story schedule was this:

• Week one: “Tony's Story” by Leslie Marmon Silko
• Week two: “Communist” by Richard Ford (previously covered in ENG-329)
• Week three: “The School” by Donald Barthelme (also covered in ENG-329)
• Week four: “Caviar” by T. C. Boyle
• Week six: “The Things They Carried” by Tim O'Brien
• Week seven: “The Rest of Her Life” by Steve Yarbrough
• Week eight: “How Far She Went” by Mary Hood

Having two stories that I'd read before really helped. I was able to concentrate on the Mockingbird reading and on the self-selected novel for the final project.

Another side note: I fucking hated “Caviar,” as did most of the students in my class. I'd like to share the first two paragraphs of my discussion post from week four with you.

I’d like to start with a question before addressing the loss of innocence prompt. “Caviar” is, to me, a story about terrible things caused by, and happening to, terrible people. Nat is a garbage human. Marie is self-absorbed. Wendy is either oblivious or malicious depending on how charitable one feels, and Doctor Ziss is, at best, a borderline scam artist.

My question is: Am I the only one who found almost no value in this story? I am legitimately surprised that it ended up in a book described as containing “the most compelling North American short stories” in its foreword.

My week four discussion introduction.

I'm not trying to poison the well by telling prospective students how much I despise the story; I just needed to get that off my chest… again. But you know what? As much as I hated “Caviar,” at least it provided for a lively discussion that week. There's a lesson to be learned from that.

The Final Project

Two novels and an anthology were required for the classwork, and an additional novel was needed for the final project. I do not recall, as I write this months later, if we were given a list to choose from, but I suspect that was the case. I chose On the Road by Jack Kerouac, and I don't think I would have come up with that on my own.

The final project isn't called a final project. Students begin work on the “Analytical Paper” and the associated “Analytical Paper: PowerPoint” in week three. That's right, it's one last hurrah for PowerPoint! Of the two parts to the project, the PowerPoint is by far the easier. Material for the presentation may be mined from the paper, requiring students to only find appropriate imagery and to brush up on their design skills.

As this is a 400-level course worth a combined 380 points, I went all-in on the scope of the project. I attempted, successfully, I think, to draw a line from the effects of World Wars I and II on the national psyche to the creation of the Beat Generation to the impact that On the Road had on the United States—all under the umbrella theme of “loss of innocence.”

The paper was a hair over eight pages long while the PowerPoint clocked in at 13 slides (two of which were citation slides). I don't have the rubric any more, but I think I remember worrying that the paper was too short. Well, I got an A on it, so if it was, it didn't hurt.

[wpdm_package id='3566′]

[wpdm_package id='3567′]

Advice for Students Registering for LIT-450 at SNHU

I said I'd reiterate it, and I will: try to take this course on its own. I hope the recap has convinced you its a good idea.

More than any other course, I think, time management will make or break you. Three novels, seven short stories, discussions about all of them, two major essays, and a final project. If you don't manage your time, you'll sink.

Get started on your final project reading in week one. Look ahead, determine what you'd like to read, and get going. You won't have an assignment related to it until week three, but don't wait.

There aren't any assignments on which you can skimp, save the discussions. Each assignment is worth 190 points, while each of the 12 discussions is worth 20 points. If you absolutely have to take a dive on something, you could skip a discussion in favor of spending time on one of the essays or your final project work.

In the End

I was tired after ENG-359. I was exhausted after LIT-450. I finally hit the wall that so many students hit near the end of their degree program. I just wanted it to be over. Well, two more classes to go, and I'd be taking them together.

Final grade: A (99.25%)

(Read my recaps of ENG-329 and ENG-349 if you haven't already!)

About ENG-359

I wrote previously that the workshops are your chance to decide if you really want to be a writer. This is the make-or-break course. At the end, you're a writer or you're not, because at the end, you'll have 20 pages of new material, and that's not nothing. Pull that off, pull it off well, and you're on your way.

My professor was once again Martin Hyatt, and I was pleasantly surprised when he remembered me from my time with him in ENG-349 (there was an 8-week gap between the two courses). He's a wonderful professor who fully engages with students and thoughtfully guides them to produce their best work.

The Textbook

No textbook this time around! While I wish I could say that this course is all about writing, workshopping, and personal improvement, there's still a bit of outside reading and discussion. The school provides guidance for short story selection, but does not require a book purchase.

The Final Project

The project here is unique in that it builds on the final project from a previous course. Students do have the option to write something new, but I do not recommend it. I mean, I really do not recommend it. Can't stress that enough. Students have an opportunity here to move further into a publishable work, and the importance of that can't be overstated.

*Unless you're working on a short story collection, of course!

I like to share my final projects so that students who follow me have a bit of an idea of what's expected in these courses (and each comes with a plagiarism warning, of course). But like the previous workshop recaps, I won't be sharing this one.

That's because I left ENG-359 with the first few chapters of my forthcoming novel!

Arney Notley, the realm’s greatest bounty hunter (his words), has never failed to fight, talk, or con his way out of any situation. He craves action, and when the Bank of Unbar offers a contract to take care of a minor vampire problem in the capital, Notley jumps at the opportunity. Along on the grand quest (again, his words) are Notley’s betrothed, Maxine, and Max’s headstrong teenage daughter, Halley, two magicians with no vampire experience.

The trio runs into trouble with a ruthless royal advisor, a visiting coven, and a ruler with a deadly secret she doesn’t know she’s keeping. Notley is sure everything will work out—because it almost always does—but he doesn’t count on the puppet master who doesn’t want her fun to end.

Points of view shift between the three characters, beginning with Halley, of whom Professor Hyatt said, “This is a narrator we would follow anywhere.”

I can't wait for you all to read it.

Advice for Students Registering for ENG-359 at SNHU

• Much of the advice I offered for ENG-349 still applies.
• On the first milestone, include a paragraph at the top that catches the reader up on what's happened so far, especially if you have a new professor since ENG-349.
• Submit the work from ENG-349 along with the new material for the final project. Ask the professor to look at your transition from one to the other to ensure it's seamless.
• Get to writing early. The final project, its associated milestones, and the workshops are worth 630 points out of 1,000. The remainder of the points are split between discussions (2) and journals (6). If you put off the drafting, you won't finish on time or with the grade you want.
• For the love of any god you care to name, check your spelling and grammar. This isn't high school. You're not a first-year student anymore. There is no excuse for spelling or punctuation errors in the drafts turned in for critiques and grades.
• Enjoy yourself! It's not easy, but the idea that writers have to suffer for their art infuriates me. One does not need to “open a vein and bleed onto the page.” That's melodramatic nonsense. You have at your disposal a professor with practical experience and students who want to read and provide feedback for your work. Enjoy that.

In the End

I didn't want this class to stop. I would happily have done another eight weeks.

Final Grade: A (99.3%)

.

.

.

Seriously, if you want people to take you seriously, check your spelling and grammar when it matters. Blog posts? Twitter? Facebook? Whatever. write in all lowercase don't use punctuation nobody carez. But in school, at this level, it matters.

About LIT-300

Where LIT-200 covered seventeen(!) methods by which readers might examine literature and other media, LIT-300 narrows that list down to just nine. And here's the other major difference between the two courses: I described the earlier class as one which gave me “more valuable information” than I'd gotten from any other course to that point. I went on to say that the best classes don't tell students what to think, but instead, show them how to think. That holds true with LIT-300, but because the literary theories covered here overlap the theories already studied, the course falls somewhat flat.

My instructor was Professor Mark Regalbuto, and I regret to say that I don't remember Mr. Regalbuto much at all. I took no notes during this period (as you may recall from my last recap, this was my languishing period), and I have little memory of my interactions with him. He was a good instructor, though! I have yet to find fault with any of my instructors at SNHU. Maybe I've been lucky, but every one of them has been knowledgeable and supportive.

Literary Theories

Though the list includes nine theories, week five crams three in together and they suffer for it. Weeks seven and eight are not given to theories but are solely devoted to the second final project and a reflection discussion respectively.

• New Criticism and Russian Formalism (week one)
• Structuralism (week two)
• Poststructuralism (week three)
• Cultural Studies (week four)
• Psychoanalysis / Feminism / Gender Studies (week five)
• Postcolonial Theory (week six)

Course Materials

At least we didn't have to deal with shmoop at this level. I'm still bitter about that.

Literary Theory: The Basics by Hans Bertens, Third Edition, 2014 was the textbook, and I found it useful and supportive of the course's goals.

Are you really into literary analysis and study? Buy the book. Otherwise, rent and save yourself the cash. The text is quite good, but its usefulness to fiction writers like me is pretty limited.

The Final Project

Honestly, the final project for this course is one of the most straightforward assignments I've had at SNHU. “The final project for this course […] the creation of a multimedia presentation and a paper that examines a short literary work (a novella or short story) through two theoretical lenses of your choice.”

Doesn't get much more direct than that. I chose to analyze Nathanial Hawthorne's “Young Goodman Brown” through the lenses of New Criticism and Cultural Studies. This isn't the first time I've used that short story for a class (I used it in HUM-200), so it was a real time-saver! But… I think it's time to remind my intrepid readers about self-plagiarism.

Every word you write for a class must be original, and that includes things you previously published outside of the current course. Some students misunderstand milestone assignments. It's not self-plagiarism to use milestone material in another milestone or in a final project—it's literally the point of milestones to be used in such a way. What's a problem is re-using what you turned in for a previous class. When I used “Young Goodman Brown” for LIT-300, I was careful to reuse only a few ideas from the HUM-200 assignments—those ideas that made sense for LIT-300.

I'm a fan of revisiting a story for a new analysis. Sure, it's great to read widely and to take advantage of the opportunity to analyze something new. But, going back to “Young Goodman Brown,” which is a favorite of mine since reading it for HUM-200, was wonderful. I bought it as part of a Hawthorne collection on Amazon for four measly dollars. Try it out. I do not think you'll be disappointed. Reading my previous analysis lead me to ask questions that applied directly to what we were talking about in LIT-300. It gave me an opportunity to go not wider, but deeper.

I'm happy with the way the final project turned out, but it was recently brought to my attention that Turnitin doesn't handle PowerPoint files, so I won't provide my final project here the way I've done before.

Advice for Students Registering for LIT-300 at SNHU

Nothing too unexpected or revolutionary here, I'm afraid. Time management is your friend. There's a lot of reading and writing for this course, so plan your weeks accordingly. As I'm fond of saying, 80% of your success in school, as in life, comes down to time management.

In the End

It was fine. Students who are planning on going into a Master of Arts (MA) program will certainly benefit from this course, since that program is geared more toward study and examination of others' writing. Those eyeing a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree—which is almost all about one's own creative writing—may find this class a bit of a slog.

Final Grade: A (98.7%)

LIT-300 was my tenth course at SNHU, and that means there's only four recaps to go!