Two writers from the Discover Great New Writers program on their influences, the reactions they hope to produce, and the books that compelled them to create their own.

The 1950s saw the emergence of literary lights including J.D. Salinger and Jack Kerouac, authors whose books questioned the status quo and the midcentury preoccupation with conformity. The decade’s best books were mired in the dark realities of recent history, and looked forward to seismic social shifts to come. Novelists explored cultural norms through timeless dystopic visions, and […]

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for those who like making vowel sounds) is here again, and along with the inspired, inspiring, indefatigable participants come…the Haters. The Haters want you to know that there’s no way a good novel can be produced in thirty days, and that 50,000 words isn’t a real book anyway. Don’t let the […]

If you’re heading off to spring break, let’s talk about squad. Your squad isn’t just the people you happen to book tickets with, the people whose snores will keep you awake as you cram five to a bed in some regrettable hotel room, the people who will almost certainly owe you money before your adventure is […]

The dirty secret of some fiction is that it’s less, well, fictional than we imagine. Behind every soaring flight of fancy, you’ll find grueling research, direct experience, and, sometimes, real human beings who inspired our favorite characters. While discovering that your favorite author isn’t above nicking from real life might be deflating, the tradeoff is realizing some of the most […]