Writing Tools and Information
I missed this article when it first came out, but I do think it's worth sharing. On Popaganda, Sarah Mirk interviews journalists on writing about race.
There seems to have been a lot of articles about diversity in writing lately, and I think that is a great trend. It's a subject that needs to be discussed, for sure. As long as all of this talk about change eventually results in some change, right?
https://bitchmedia.org/article/popaganda-episode-writing-about-race
In this informative blog post, Kristen Ploetz shares some of what she has learned from five years of “writing, submitting, and promoting…short stories and essays.”
I found this to be a helpful read with a lot of insight –the last part about finding success through failure really resonated with me.
It was also interesting to read about someone else’s process for submitting to markets and comparing it to mine. For example, most of my tracking is done via Excel spreadsheets and/or Submittable, but Kristen opts to use old fashioned pen, paper, and three-ring binders. I think the point is that you need to find what personally works for you, whether it is “old school” or electronic.
Worth the read - on her blog, Jane Friedman gives 4 lessons for authors on the current state of publishing. In this article there are some sound tips that could lead you to success - it is worth checking out.
A fitting post while I embark on my online writer's workshop: Laura Scott talks about the myth of the lone author.
https://medium.com/@oneroom/the-myth-of-the-lone-author-46a540365517#.h08whlh0x
The Rumpus interviews an editor and four writers for a roundtable on writing, editing, and race.
http://therumpus.net/2016/03/the-sunday-rumpus-interview-a-roundtable-on-writing-editing-and-race/
“Come 15 March, Barnes & Noble will be accelerating its digital retreat from the NOOK experiment, leaving customers with a week to salvage their purchased content.”
Sounds like B & N is abandoning their attempt to compete with Amazon’s Kindle. And while that may be a smart business move, it will definitely impact any customers who still use the Nook.
Check out these viable suggestions for “characterizing” setting from Ayşe Papatya Bucak at the Fiction Writers Review.
This idea of giving the setting more emphasis in a story definitely an interesting tactic that I might employ with my upcoming fiction endeavors.
http://fictionwritersreview.com/essay/person-place-or-thing-characterizing-setting/
Via Brooklyn Magazine: Molly McArdle interviews writers and publishers on the state of diversity in publishing.
At the Electric Literature blog, Ingrid Rojas Contreras boldly presents an illustrated guide to her writing (and not writing) anxieties.
She has an interesting take on the subject, and this is surely the first time I have seen a Venn Diagram used to effectively describe writing anxieties.
http://electricliterature.com/on-not-writing-an-illustrated-guide-to-my-anxieties/
A recent blog post from Jane Friedman includes some excellent writing advice for the children and teens in our lives. I think it is worth passing along to younger writers as a bit of encouragement and guidance.
The post also presents adults with a viable question: Should the writing advice we give to children or teenagers differ from the advice I give to adults? Check out the link and find out Jane’s insight on this.
https://janefriedman.com/writing-advice-for-children-and-teens/
Worth the read: Salon’s Paula Young Lee looks at how “we need diverse books” can move beyond wishful thinking.
BuzzFeed has compiled a list of 29 amazing literary magazines we should all be reading.
And since my work has only appeared in one of these journals, this list can also double as a list of places I need to submit my work to. It’s good to have goals.
Not every great author can give equally great writing advice. But according to Micah Solomon, the three books mentioned in this Bookbaby blog post can give you the tips you need to progress your writing to new levels.
Avid readers: check out this recent New York Times article to find out why indie bookstores are back, with a passion.
Vinson Cunningham interviews Chris Jackson, editor for Ta-Nehisi Coates and Victor LaValle, among others, on building a black literary movement.
Do you have an unopened dusty copy of War and Peace or Catch 22 wedged shamefully in the back of your bookcase?
Take heart regarding your literary duplicity with this list from the BBC of the top twenty books people lie about having read (20% of which are by Charles Dickens)—and then slap those unread tomes on your bedside table, because 60% of those surveyed said being (or at least seeming) well-read made a person appear more attractive. I guess that may be the motivation for the lies.
This list is for the UK, but I have a feeling people are bluffing about reading these books in the US as well…
A recent survey shows that most students do still prefer print over digital. In this Star-Tribune article, Laurie Hertzel contemplates: http://www.startribune.com/print-or-e-books-the-debate-continues/367820511/
From Book Riot: Claire Handscombe's insightful list of "99 Ways to Spread the Word About a Book You Love" is an awesome article for writers to share with their non-writing family and friends.
http://bookriot.com/2016/01/20/99-ways-spread-word-book-love/
It can be easy to get a tad overwhelmed by all the podcasts that are out there. But here’s a useful list of podcasts that are recommended “for writers, word nerds, and book lovers.” Check out Crystal King’s post for Grub Daily. There’s bound to be a few podcasts on this list that will interest you, and maybe even motivate you.
https://grubstreet.org/grub-daily/podcasts-for-writers-word-nerds-and-book-lovers/
There’s a boatload of great recommendations in this extensive post from The Write Life/Marisol Dahl on “The 100 Best Websites for Writers.”
As someone who looks at tons of writing blogs and websites on a daily basis, I was surprised at how many other helpful sites exist that I had never heard of before. This is definitely worth checking out…