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Articles by Taylor Houston
Q&A with Purcell Marian High School Head Coach: The ins of his Program
By Taylor Houston, Herald Staff The Purcell High School Girls basketball team located in Cincinnati, Ohio and considered an unstoppable over the last couple of seasons. The basketball team is filled with state and nation-wide ranked players, and they have a state championship under their belt. But with this success it makes fans wonder why? What is their gameplay, thoughts and emotions when taking the court?
The Peach Cobbler Factory
By: Taylor Houston The Peach Cobbler Factory, a family-style dessert shop, sells “old school desserts with a new school flare.” Cincinnati has never seen a sweet shop like this before. Driving around we see Cupcake shops, Donut shops but we never see Cobblers, Banana Pudding, etc.
West Nile Virus Found In Dead Bird | Mosquito Spraying Scheduled For Targeted Area
West Nile Virus Found In Dead Bird Mosquito Spraying Scheduled For Targeted Area The City of Columbia has been alerted of a dead bird found within the city limits that has tested positive for West Nile Virus. In response, spraying for adult mosquitoes will commence on 7/30/22 and will conclude on 7/31/22. Spraying is usually conducted between midnight and dawn; however, it is possible for spraying to be conducted earlier depending on conditions.
Let’s Save LitReactor - Campaign Update
News by Taylor Houston Taylor Houston is a genuine Word Nerd living in Portland, OR where she works as a technical writer and volunteers on the marketing committee for Wordstock, a local organization dedicated to writing education. She has a BA in Creative Writing and Spanish from Hamilton College and attended Penn State's MFA program in Creative Nonfiction.
The best picnic spots on and around campus
As we approach warmer months, we must spend time in the sun with friends and peers. Picnics are a great outdoor activity to study with friends, snack on your favorite treats or get some studying done while soaking up the Vitamin D. In the past, however, students at the University of Cincinnati have struggled to find area on or around campus to set up their perfect picnic. Here are five ideal picnic spots to check out in the warm months approaching.
UC students on eliminated masking restrictions
Quinlan Bentley | TNR File Art Since March 2020, universities, businesses and organizations have been adapting to the new normal of masks, social distancing and over-cleaning of hands and surfaces. What if there is potential to go back to seeing the mask less faces of our loved ones, friends and peers?
Lessons from 10 Years of Writing About Grammar
10 years ago, I made my LitReactor debut with an article about brainstorming story ideas for National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). I find this hilarious now since I only ever did NaNoWriMo once—in 2010—and I’ve never done one since. Not because it’s not a great idea, but because I had my first kid in early 2012 and I haven’t had 2 minutes to myself ever since.
Is it the Fourth or the 4th of July?: Formatting Numbers in Your Writing
Is it July Fourth? Or is it July 4th? Is it The Roaring Twenties? Or is it The Roaring 20s? Is your apartment on the first or the 1st floor? Am I thirty-one or 31? When should I spell out a number and when should I use the numerals? I am sure that questions such as these must often keep you up at night, and while I’d like to tell you I can put your mind at ease by explaining the different rules, I can’t.
Ghostly Doppelgangers, Bell-Ringing Goblins, and More Cranky Old Rich Jerks: Get in the Holiday Spirit With Some Lesser Known Dickens
Everyone knows "A Christmas Carol" It's one of my all-time favorite stories! I’ve read the original a hundred times, and I’ll watch any version of it, no matter how ridiculous and no matter who plays the irascible Scrooge: George C. Scott, Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Cicely Tyson, Bill Murray, Vanessa Williams, Jim Carey, or the Muppets! Every time I read the original, I find new things to love about the story.
Wassailing with Wenceslas - Christmas Carol Origins
We all know the words, but what do they really mean? Here I explain the origins of a few holiday song lyrics that have always baffled me. To start with, though, what is a "carol" to being with? What is a “carol”? According to Merriam-Webster, the word comes from the Greek word choraulēs,which is a combination of the words choros (chorus) andaulein (to play a reed instrument).
Nothing New Under the Mistletoe - 40 Versions of "A Christmas Carol" You Should Check Out
When it comes to Christmas stories, there is nothing new under the mistletoe. Year after year after year, we are bombarded with tales of respect for humankind, family togetherness, redemption, and miraculous snowstorms that move in at 11:59:59 on Christmas Eve. (In fact, Hallmark Channel is airing 40 NEW Christmas movies this year!) It’s as much a part of 21st Century Christmas in the United States as online shopping and blow-up lawn Santas.
Craft Essays | LitReactor
Chuck Palahniuk's 2014-2015 Essays In: Abstracts, Character, Dialogue, Grammar, Literary Devices, Narrator, Objects, Phrases, Plot, POV, Research, Rewriting, Structure, Verbs, Voice, Word Play, Workshop Chuck surprised us all with a new batch of essays for 2014 & 2015! There is no exact timeline on how these will roll out, so just keep an eye on the site. Notes on the Craft In: Dialogue, Literary Devices Concrete, practical methods for improving your writing.
2020 Hindsight: 10 Years Worth of Grammar Advice
A decade ago, I decided it was my duty to help people with a less-than-solid understanding of English grammar. To that end, I opened a Twitter account (@writerscramp1—because someone had already taken writerscramp. Jerk.) and popped up a writing class through the Seattle arts organization Fremont Abbey. For a few months, a small group of people showed up regularly and let me lecture them about grammar and craft.
Anthony Bourdain: Is He A Better Chef, Writer, or TV Personality?
"I'm Taylor Houston. I write, I (wish I could) travel, I eat... and I'm hungry... FOR MORE." Ok, so yeah, I stole that line from the opening of Anthony Bourdain’s show No Reservations. You could say that I’m a fan. I have probably seen almost every episode and I’ll read pretty much anything he has written.
Feedback Loop: Revisiting Autobiographical Fiction
Autobiographical Fiction: Using Your Real Life to Craft Great Fiction posted on Leap Day in 2012 (2/29/12) and in the almost 7 years since then, I have birthed three kids bought a house paid off a car switched careers eagerly awaited and then unhappily endured half a season of the terrible TV series, Under the Dome, which I referenced in that article Since LitReactor opened in 2011, I’ve written LOTS of articles about craft and grammar, and in that time, I’ve received maybe 20 personal...
10 Things You Didn't Know About Noah Webster, the Inventor of American English
Header image via Wikipedia Commons While a "Webster's" was a regular feature of my bookshelf growing up, I never thought anything about the man, himself, until recently. When I did some research, I learned that he was a manic intellectual and a bit of an anti-social blowhard. He was well known in his time for being overly confident and fussy, mouthy and self-serving, but also a bit of a loner and a weirdo.
12 Grammar and Writing Tips from Archer
If I were having a dinner party, and I could invite anyone I wanted, I would totally invite Adam Reed, the creator and writer of the made-for-adults cartoon show, Archer.
Modifier Makeovers: Go From Basic to Belle-of-The-Ball with These Simple Tricks
Modifiers are the accessories of writing: they serve to enhance your basic sentence. Just as your basic outfit should include—at minimum—pants and a shirt, your basic sentence must include a clear subject and verb.
HAPPY GRAMMAR DAY: 10 Facts About Grammar You Can Use to Annoy Your Loved Ones
If you were me, you’d celebrate Grammar Day every day. But on this special day, let’s dig up some extra special details about grammar and language that make a Word Nerd's day! 1) 'Grammar' is not grammar Sure, you’ve probably heard some killjoy announce that this or that rule is not actually a grammar rule. Strictly speaking, the word “grammar” applies to the function of words and how they are combined to form sentences. “Usage” applies to how people actually use language and what habits they have.
The Dreaded R-Word: The Goods and Evils of Rhetoric
Seems like every time I read the news, I see the word “rhetoric.” But what is rhetoric anyway? Merriam-Webster says it is “the art of speaking or writing effectively.” Honestly, I never gave the word or what it meant much thought until I was assigned to teach First Year Rhetoric and Composition at Penn State while I was a grad student there. What a fancy name for “English 101,” I thought.
...and ACTION!: The Who, What, When, and Why of Verb Conjugation
Column by Taylor Houston Taylor Houston is a genuine Word Nerd living in Portland, OR where she works as a technical writer and volunteers on the marketing committee for Wordstock, a local organization dedicated to writing education. She has a BA in Creative Writing and Spanish from Hamilton College and attended Penn State's MFA program in Creative Nonfiction.
5 Easy Ways to Make Your Writing Gender-Neutral
You know, I had another introduction planned, but as I have been writing this over the last month, many articles on the topic of gender-neutral language have popped up (you’ll see me mention some of them below). This topic is on everyone’s mind lately because we have some high-profile people who have brought it to the forefront. But let’s not be naïve. This didn’t start the day Caitlyn appeared on Vanity Fair. This is a conversation a lot of people have been having for a long time.
Nothing New Under The Sun: The Origins of 5 Common Literary Allusions
Allusions Do you ever get the feeling that you’ve read something before? Well, you have—maybe even hundreds or thousands of times. Writers are, at best, great mimics, and, at worst, sneaky thieves. They love to steal the words of the writers who have come before them. Did I say steal? I meant allude to the words of their fore-authors. According to An Introduction to Poetry, 9th Edition, an allusion is an indirect reference to any person, place, or thing—fictitious, historical, or actual.
10 More Words You Literally Didn't Know You Were Getting Wrong
Column by Taylor Houston Taylor Houston is a genuine Word Nerd living in Portland, OR where she works as a technical writer and volunteers on the marketing committee for Wordstock, a local organization dedicated to writing education. She has a BA in Creative Writing and Spanish from Hamilton College and attended Penn State's MFA program in Creative Nonfiction.
10 Grammar & Usage-Related New Year’s Resolutions
2012 is almost over, and the predicted apocalypse was (again) a flop-- so it’s time to get your shit together for 2013! I know you have probably already purchased a gym membership and sworn off quadruple mocha cappuccinos, but did you consider the health of your writing? Well, you should—it’s lookin’ kinda flabby! Here are 10 grammar-related resolutions to get your writing back in shape. 1.
10 Words You Literally Didn’t Know You Were Getting Wrong
Original header image by Andrea Piacquadio 10 MORE Words You Literally Didn't Know You Were Getting Wrong You aced your vocab tests when you were in school. You know the difference between affect and effect. You don’t need autocorrect to add a space between a and lot. In short, you are a genius competent English speaker. But even those of us who actively try to get it all right sometimes still get it wrong. Take the VP of the USA, for example.
What's Your Style?: Style Guides and How to Use Them
What the *bleep* is a style guide? I am not saying that my high school English teachers failed me, but I arrived as a college freshman without the slightest idea what a style guide was. At matriculation, the college president handed each of us a copy of The Elements of Style. I didn’t know what it was for and therefore shelved it for nearly my entire college career.
Change the World: Write Your Manifesto
Header image via Wikipedia Commons, public domain You are a writer—an artiste! A creator of beauty and meaning. A cultural commentator. A revolutionary! It stands to reason that you ought to stand for something, and how best to impart to the masses your particular vision and mission than to write a manifesto declaring your artistic intentions? What is a Manifesto? A manifesto is a declaration of ideas and principles.
The Period Part 1—Lots o' dots: How frequent and deliberate use of the humble period can create maximum impact.
Header image by Aleksandar Pasaric via Pexels First, I’ll tell you what we are not going to discuss in this article—when to use a period according to the rules of usage for the English language. While that's important (although not as intuitive as one might think), this article will instead focus on using the period deliberately and selectively to enhance your writing and your story. For now, I’ll leave the technical guidance to the Chicago Manual of Style (or whatever style guide you love best).
“Scuse me while I kiss this guy.”: Malaprops, Puns, Spoonerisms, Eggcorns, and other hilarity-inducing word mix-ups
Column by Taylor Houston is a genuine Word Nerd living in Portland, OR where she works as a technical writer and volunteers on the marketing committee for Wordstock, a local organization dedicated to writing education. She has a BA in Creative Writing and Spanish from Hamilton College and attended Penn State's MFA program in Creative Nonfiction.
That’s So Meta: Writing A Story About Writing A Story
Header images via pexels: 1, 2 Back to the Parks If you remember a few posts back, I offered you the short story “A Continuity of Parks” by Julio Córtazar as an example of the nonlinear narrative structure. As you might have noticed, there was more going on in that story than the shift of narrative perspective. In case you forgot, the story starts with a man coming home and sitting down to read a book. The story he reads is about two lovers who plot to kill the woman’s husband.
Out of Order: A Discussion of Nonlinear Narrative Structure
Photo by christgr Last time, we tried starting a story by writing the end first. You may eventually place the ending you wrote at the actual end of the story, or, as we discussed using an example from The Usual Suspects, you might use part of the last scene to open your story.
Don't Leave Me Hanging...
I often think about where I am beginning and where I am ending- then I start filling in the middle and answering the "how the hell did this happen?"s. I tried an ending and this is what I came up with: The rocking chair squealed under him, porch floor boards bents and raked against the rusty nails. Uncharacteristically he was stiff as he sat there, stiff upper shoulders, eyes squinted into the darkness and the corners of his mouth pulled down around his chin. Squuuueeeeeeeeeeeeak.
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