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Short Little Difficult Books
Novels that challenge with style, story, or form that you can read in a day.
Nov 18, 2025
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Lincoln Michel
546
92
127
The Counter Craft Halloween Horror Writing Guide
🚨New book announcement! 🚨Plus, unlocking bone-chilling articles from the archives
Oct 31, 2025
•
Lincoln Michel
73
10
6
The Grand Ballroom Theory of Literature
On literature as an unending conversation, genres as dialogues, and writing as adding your voice to the chat
Aug 18, 2025
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Lincoln Michel
156
24
33
Is Your Worldbuilding Up To Code?
On the infinite ways to build cities, realms, worlds, and galaxies
Jul 4, 2025
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Lincoln Michel
98
37
20
Fairy Tales Before Fantasy Become Tropes
On the weird and surreal magic of old fairy tales
May 19, 2025
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Lincoln Michel
162
20
25
The Age of Genre Bending, Blending, and Juxtaposing
Thoughts on the most important literary trend of the last 25 years, and novels that juxtapose different genres side by side.
May 6, 2025
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Lincoln Michel
180
29
32
Writing Terror into Your Horror
Some October horror writing advice to curdle blood and tingle spines
Oct 4, 2024
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Lincoln Michel
200
20
42
Dune Names Are Good, Actually
On language, names, and worldbuilding
Mar 2, 2024
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Lincoln Michel
152
24
22
Underpinning Your Horror in the Uncanny
Some craft tips on evoking the eerie in fiction
Oct 19, 2023
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Lincoln Michel
127
20
20
Some Surreal Books from Around the World
A reading list for fans of the dreamlike, nightmarish, and downright bizarre
Sep 26, 2023
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Lincoln Michel
106
30
17
Fear of the Surreal
On David Lynch, surrealism, and hating art that "makes you feel weird."
Aug 31, 2023
•
Lincoln Michel
181
27
23
Fantastic Modes; Or, Is Magical Realism Just Urban Fantasy?
On the differences and similarities between surrealism, fabulism, contemporary fantasy, and etc.
Aug 25, 2023
•
Lincoln Michel
96
25
12
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