TCK Publishing Videos

As I’m writing this article, it strikes me as odd that I’ve never considered the reasons why I write. Sure, I enjoy it as a passion first, and a craft second. But is that enough to justify why I spend countless hours writing stories that I’m not sure anyone would like? When I wrote opinion pieces for my local newspaper, I talked about politics, the environment, the emerging cultural trends in my city, and so on. Now I’m hardly an expert on any of these, but I wrote with such confidence as if I knew what I was talking about. In my attempt to discover what’s behind that drive, not only did I begin to examine my personal reasons for writing but also checked out the common reasons why people write. Why Do We Write? In my experience, when you ask a writer why they write, they pause and a fleeting expression of confusion appears on their face. Then they’ll shrug and say “It’s what I do” or “I just like writing, I guess” or any variations of those reasons. George Orwell, one of the mo...

Among decreasing satisfaction with the public school system, many families are resorting to less conventional ways of educating their children. This includes putting them in private schools or homeschooling them.  Among the more popular movements in education is classical education, which emphasizes literature, language studies, and history in a modern school framework.  What Is the Classical Method? In Western culture, the term “classical education” has been used for several centuries. Each era has modified the definition slightly and added its own choice of topics. Essentially, classical education uses a three-part process to train the mind in a consistent pattern where students are introduced to science and history in a planned repetition. Each subject is studied within the three stages of the trivium.  But it is more than just a pattern of learning. Classical education has a strong focus on language: it accomplishes learning through spoken and written words, r...

If you are writing a children’s picture book or any other book that requires images, finding the right book illustrator is a must. First of all, you want to find an illustrator who can create the “feel” you want for your book, and one whose fees fit within your budget. It’s usually best if the illustrator’s styles are already in line with your vision, because it’s much harder to get an artist to create outside of their current style.  This means that, as you search for an illustrator for your book, you will need to do at least two things: first, keep your eyes peeled for someone whose work you already like, and second, shortlist potential candidates while checking their portfolio.  Where to Find an illustrator The good news is that you have plenty of sources where you can find potential illustrators for your book. Here are some of the best places to start your search:  Word of mouth : If you know other authors who have worked with illustrators, ask for their rec...

Artists just can’t seem to catch a break. There’s the stereotype of the starving artist , which holds that artists must be willing to accept a life of meager wages for the sake of their craft; and perhaps even more destructive, there’s the popular trope of the tortured artist. Because a notable string of brilliant talents have met tragic ends due to depression or other mental illnesses, we somehow got the idea that genius creativity necessitates madness. There are figures like Van Gogh, who sliced off his own ear and later committed suicide, plus the countless film stars and music idols who struggled with addiction and met their own tragic ends. For these artists, their struggles have become synonymous with—and sometimes overshadowed—their talent. But do artists really have to suffer for their work? In this post, we’ll examine the myth of the tortured artist and consider other reasons why highly creative people might be more prone to depression and mental illness. The Origin of th...

When it comes to ebooks, the three retailers that usually come to mind are Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Apple. Yet, these three giants are certainly not the only providers of electronic books. In this post, we’ll show you a list of more than 20 ebook retailers, including some you probably know and many you may not have heard of. Ebook Stores The following ebook stores provide a mass selection of digital content. 1. Amazon Amazon is the leading ebook retailer, with well over 6 million Amazon Kindle ebooks available on the platform. Website: www.amazon.com/amazon-books/ 2. Apple Apple Books is an ebook platform and store application made for Apple’s iOS and macOS operating systems and devices. Website: www.apple.com/apple-books/ 3. B&N Barnes and Noble’s ebook store boasts over 4.5 million ebooks that can be read on a NOOK device or on NOOK for Web. Website: www.barnesandnoble.com 4. Bolinda Bolinda Publishing’s e-commerce platform provides audio, print, and ebooks...

There’s a good chance you’ve binge-watched at least one series lately that was based on a book, and you may not have even realized it! Books can make great material for addictive television shows, so it’s really not much of a surprise that some of the most popular shows got their start on the written page. Read on to discover some of the best shows adapted from books that you can binge-watch after (or maybe before) you binge-read. TV Shows Based on Books The following 14 television series are all based on books. Add some of these to your binge-watch list, or check out the books that inspired them! 1. Game of Thrones This 8-season fantasy series was based on George R. R. Martin’s book series, A Song of Ice and Fire , of which the first installment was A Game of Thrones . The show was famous its graphic violence, sex, and for upsetting viewers with the killing of fan favorites. That didn’t seem to deter them from watching though—the series finale was the most watched episode o...

Have you been thinking over an awesome story idea but aren’t really sure how you’ll begin writing? Or maybe you’re already writing but you’ve reached a point where you don’t know where your work is headed? If so, you’re not alone—because it’s one thing to call yourself a writer, but the writing process is another beast altogether. Writing is one of those professions or passions with no written rules, just general directions. Don’t get me wrong, it is extremely exciting and satisfying, but it can also be a daunting task, especially at the start. Let’s talk about a few things you can do to finally start writing out your stories. How to Start Writing You have the concept, but you just don’t know how you’ll manifest it into a coherent story. Then there’s the doubt. What if no one reads it? Worse, what if no one likes it? And is your work even worth reading? These thoughts can be paralyzing to a new writer. So how are the pros able to move past these crippling thoughts, create memor...

Home to over 206 million people, Nigeria is a country rich in diversity, from its people and cultures, to its geography, and of course, its literature. One of the country’s best-known literary works was Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart . But if that’s all you know of Nigerian literature, then you’re missing out on a huge wave of talent that’s given us dozens of award-winning books in recent years. In this post, we’ll show you some of the best books written by Nigerian authors in recent years so you can diversify your reading list. Books by Contemporary Nigerian Authors Below are 10 books by contemporary Nigerian authors that you’ll want to add to your library. 1. Americanah  by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie In Americanah , a young couple leaves military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Ifemelu goes to America, where despite her academic success, she is confronted with racism for the first time. Obinze had hoped to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, he begins a dan...