Lovelace and the Dark Triad
Many critics consider Clarissa the first “psychological novel,” as it explores the main characters’ emotions, thoughts, and values. Richardson does this by overlaying their first-person
Tag: craft of writing
Henry Fielding Falls in Love… with Richardson’s Clarissa
Fielding’s contempt did more than just infuriate Richardson. It inspired him. While he never forgave the insult, Richardson learned from the criticism to transform his
The Post-Pamela/Shamela Feud
After its release in November 1740, Pamela’s huge success naturally created envy and resentment in London’s intense literary community. According to Bernard Kreissman, there followed
Pamela vs. Shamela: The Origin of the First Novelist Feud, and Still the Greatest
Pamela vs. Shamela: The Origin of the First Novelist Feud, and Still the Greatest Part 1 about Pamela here. Richardson’s epistolary novel Pamela was an
If I knew then what I know now…. lessons learned by experienced authors.
Melinda Jane Harrison Never write for money, LOL. Kallypso Masters Being a writer is a solitary, sedentary endeavor. Don’t let your health suffer as a
The Empty Bucket
So a moment ago I was in the middle of the maelstrom, the eye of the storm. I had a novel I was working on,
Ides of March Part 3: For Brutus Is an Honorable Man (Repeat 3 Times)
For Brutus Is an Honorable Man (Repeat 3 Times) Last week we looked at the response of Mark Antony to Caesar’s assassination, and how his
on process: in the literary salt mines
Some of you may know that I had a loooong fallow period, creative fields sown with the salt of grief and left to go to
Murder in My Front Yard
Like so many perfectly nice law-abiding people, I listen to a lot of true crime podcasts. I’ve learned about a newish tool in the toolkit
“Hamnet”: Cynical Manipulation… or Just Healthy Catharsis? Could It Be Both?
Last week in the post about the film “Hamnet,” I mentioned the “debate” between Plato and Aristotle about the ability of drama and story to
“Hamnet”: Manipulation… or Just Great Dramatic Structure? Could It Be Both?
“Hamnet,” Chloé Zhao’s 2025 film, dramatizes the emotional conflict that led to Shakespeare writing Hamlet. It’s fictionalized, of course—we know very little about the historical
Multiplicity and The Splintered Heart
Multiplicity There’s a splinter of ice in the heart of every writer. Graham Greene — Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself!
“To Conceal Is to Reveal.” The Paradox of Masquerades
“To Conceal Is to Reveal.” The Paradox of Masquerades Hello, everyone! I did my master’s thesis on Edgar Allan Poe’s stories, and during the pandemic,