Bryan Collins's Blog, page 38

Acclaimed Novelist Martin Amis Dies Aged 73

Influential author, Martin Amis, has died at the age of 73.

Amis was noted for being one of the most talented authors of his generation, with his 1984 novel ‘Money’ listed as one of the top 100 novels written in English language by The Guardian.

His writing was renowned for its style and voice, with the author once telling The Paris Review that “plots really matter only in thrillers.”

Amis’ early years as an author were marked by his productivity; his debut book The Rachel Papers published in 19...

Masterclass Review: Is It Worth It?

Is Masterclass worth it? Find out in this 2023 MasterClass review, where we review its most popular online classes.

I joined MasterClass several years ago and spent dozens of hours taking its courses. In this review, I share my thoughts about this online learning platform for creative professionals. Over the past few years, I completed over a dozen MasterClass courses by teachers like Steve Martin, Malcolm Gladwell, Gordan Ramsay, Anna Wintour, Helen Mirren, Samuel L. Jackson and James Patterso...

101+ Palindrome Words, Sentences, And Phrases To Check Out

Do you want to have a little fun with the English language? Check out these fun palindrome words.

In English, several words are spelled the same, backward and forwards. These fun little words are called palindromes. Though palindrome words don’t impact English grammar, they are pretty fun to play around with. If you use them well, you can even make complete sentences that are palindromes. So have some fun with your English writing, and study these common palindromes.

What ...

Best Copywriting Books: 25 Essential Reads for Writing Words That Sell

Discover the best copywriting books filled with copywriting secrets from the world’s best freelance copywriters that help beginners become great copywriters.

Learning how to become a great copywriter can feel like a daunting task. As the blank page stares back at you, deciding where and how to start can feel impossible. Luckily, learning how to create the perfect sales page, landing page, and ad copy is possible for anyone with the help of the copywriting secrets shared by the authors in the ...

GrammarlyGO Review: Is This AI Chatbot Worth It?

Our GrammarlyGO review profiles the pros and cons of this AI writing tool.

Grammarly has been my best friend for the last five years. I’ve used it to edit my articles while scanning them for accidental plagiarism. However, a few weeks ago, Grammarly released a new function called GrammarlyGO. GrammarlyGO is a generative AI, think ChatGPT, but with a writing assistant twist.

It’s meant to help you save time writing articles and other forms of content. The AI will generate article outlin...

Best Plagiarism Checker: 16 Top Options (2023)

In this article, we explain what’s the best plagiarism checker available today based on our reviews and extensive testing.

To find the best plagiarism checker for 20223, we researched dozens of tools checking text like blog posts, book chapters, articles, and academic texts. Our tests found that Grammarly is the easiest to use for general-purpose plagiarism checks. ProWritingAid is cheaper if slower. Those in academia look for a plagiarism checker for research papers should try Scribbr. 

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Grammarly Review: Is Grammarly Premium Worth It?

In this Grammarly review, we explain if Grammarly is worth it and profile its key features.

Grammarly is a popular writing tool, but perhaps you’re wondering how it can help you improve your writing skills. I worked as a sub-editor for a national newspaper, where it was my job to find and fix grammar errors in news stories before they went to print. I know first-hand how painful and embarrassing these mistakes can be… but it’s best not to let your fears hold you back from pressing publish. I’...

Paul Auster To Release New Book With Faber

Paul Auster knows how to write a compelling book.

Whether it be his iconic New York Trilogy, his ground-breaking memoir Winter Journal, or his Booker-shortlisted 4 3 2 1. Auster once wrote that “one should never underestimate the power of books” and if the past is anything to go by, one should never underestimate the power of a Paul Auster book.

The writer’s incredible capabilities are obviously recognized by Faber, who has seized his new work of fiction, which is entitled ‘Baumgartner’.

It tell...

D.H Lawrence Fans Restore Family Headstone

We have heard of the concept of ‘fans for life,’ but lovers of D.H Lawrence have proven that fans for after life also have a value.

A group supporting the writer has worked together with the local council in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire to restore the writer’s family headstone. This was the town where the Sons and Lovers author spent his childhood, and the grave is considered a pilgrimage for D.H Lawrence fans everywhere.

It is a landmark in the area but has fallen into a state of disrepair in rece...

James Patterson No Longer No.1 Borrowed Author In UK Libraries

James Patterson is no longer UK libraries’ most borrowed author.

The crime writer has long held the accolade of being the writer most sought after by British library card holders. However, after 14 years of being the most borrowed author, children’s writer Julia Donaldson has now surpassed him.

Data from the Public Lending Right (PLR) has shown that Gruffalo author, Donaldson, is now the most borrowed author. Obviously, that also makes her the most borrowed children’s writer, while Patterson can...