War is not a genre


I’ve previously written about how the demands of the algorithms that drive online marketing have created more genres than ever (over 13000 distinct genres on Amazon!). But even before this proliferation of categories within literature, some commonly accepted genres were problematic. The “war” genre is one of these. The modern “war novel” as a genre … Continue reading War is not a genre

Self-Discipline unlocks Creativity


When the average person thinks of an “Artist,” or even just a very creative person, that they don’t necessarily associate them with the idea of “discipline.” Lots has been written about the business of being an artist, and what it takes to be commercially successful – planning, hustle and drive. Perhaps in this context, the … Continue reading Self-Discipline unlocks Creativity

On Algorithms and Genre


It’s generally accepted that in modern literature there are two broad kinds of fiction – literary fiction and genre fiction. While it is often said that the difference is that genre fiction is principally concerned with plot and convention, while literary fiction elevates character and theme, this is not the only difference. The sub-text, sometimes … Continue reading On Algorithms and Genre

An Interview with Chris Wattie


Chris Wattie is a veteran, journalist and writer whose book Contact Charlie: The Canadian Army, The Taliban and the Battle that Saved Afghanistan was based on his experiences as an embedded journalist in Kandahar in 2006. Phil: What first attracted you to becoming a journalist? Chris: I’ve always believed that journalism is as much a … Continue reading An Interview with Chris Wattie