This essay by Gabino Iglesias on Dead End Follies brings some heat to the literary establishment: Online Literary Magazines and their (Intense) Diversity Problem.
http://www.deadendfollies.com/blog/online-literary-magazines-diversity-problem
Writing Tools and Information
Where's Your Novel?
From a fiction standpoint, I’m a flash fiction/short story writer. As a result, I’ve often been confronted with the question, “But where’s your novel?”
So although I’m far from being a famous short story writer, I can identify with Amber Sparks’ article on Electric Literature: “Let Us Now Praise Famous Short Story Writers (And Demand They Write a Novel).”
Unsung Heroes.
Check out this feature on from Lit Hub: The Unsung Heroes of the Poetry World.
A feature on some of the hardworking folks who keep some of the small presses afloat. Interesting read.
The “Moist” of It All: A Look at Word Aversion.
A recent study by Paul Thibodeau, a professor of psychology at Oberlin College, examines the phenomenon of "word aversion"--the extremely visceral distaste that some people have in response to certain words, such as "moist," "luggage," and "phlegm." Check out this article about this study and the words that repel us. It got me thinking about the inherent power of these words and how I can use their “yuck factor” to my advantage in my writing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/07/science/moist-word-aversion.html?_r=1
Embrace the Embarrassment.
“To risk something real as a writer is to risk making a fool of oneself.” This essay resonated with me: Idra Novey talks about Learning to Be Embarrassed on the Page.
https://catapult.co/stories/learning-to-be-embarrassed-on-the-page
Thirty Poets.
If you want to get the scoop on some talented poets or are just looking for something new to read, check out this from Literary Hub: 30 Poets You Should Be Reading.
30 Non-Fiction Books a Well-Rounded Person Should Read
Bookmarked for future use: Paul Nowak from Iris Reading has compiled a great list of 30 Non-Fiction Books a Well-Rounded Person Should Read.
As a person who devours reading material, I sometimes wonder if there are books I’ve missed that can help in my never-ending quest to become better-rounded. At a glance, this list can be a great place to start. I was happy to see I’ve already read some of these. I see the value in spending some time with the others and maybe even revisiting ones that I studied previously. Happy reading!
Counterintuitive advice.
A plea for writers to please stop thinking: an interview with Kathryn Harrison by Joe Fassler.
One great quote from this interview: “And I don’t sit there waiting for that perfect, beautiful sentence, because I know I’m going to sit there forever.” So true, so true.
For the Kids.
Wondering how to get kids more interested in poetry? Then this article is for you: 7 Playful Tactics To Get Kids Writing Poetry.
More Suggested Reading.
From The Culture, and perfect for National Poetry Month: 11 Poetry Collections by Black Writers Everyone Should Read.
http://theculture.forharriet.com/2016/04/11-poetry-collections-by-black-writers.html#axzz45nyIuYzd
Another NPM Resource.
We are partway through National Poetry Month, but here's another NPM resource that's definitely worth sharing: the daily BoneSpark blog round-up posts. These posts are awesome. They round up the best writing prompts they found for the day, as well as poems and relevant articles.
Suggested Reading.
From Off the Beaten Shelf – Check out this list of 6 lit mags you should be reading. If you are an avid reader, this is worth checking out.
Protect Yourself Against “Non Writing”
From Poets & Writers: Rita Mae Reese discusses how to fight off “non-writing,” which she likens to a virus. Interesting quick read.
About Writing Prompts.
In this interesting AWP article, Leslie Pietrzyk describes a group-oriented prompt-writing practice.
Bound?
Are writers of color bound to the race narrative?
Jeffery Renard Allen and others weigh in at The Guardian.
How Most Writers Get Screwed.
The Lulu Fund did the math and the theory is fact – writers who are not part of academia don’t always get the fairest shake in the literary world. Considering that I am one of those writers outside the campus gates, I found this article to be quite interesting.
Speed Reading.
The Wall Street Journal has a test to see how quickly you read. Find out your results, then use their helpful tips to become even quicker.
http://projects.wsj.com/speedread/
Then check out this article: Lifehacker’s Patrick Allan teaches how to read an entire book in one day.
http://lifehacker.com/how-to-read-an-entire-book-in-a-single-day-1749070044
Hey, life is short. If you can read faster, then you can read more. And that is a very good thing.
Jumpstart Your Poetry Endeavors During National Poetry Month.
In case you don’t know….April is National Poetry Month (NPM). And no, that is not an April Fool’s Joke.
In fact, this April marks the 20th anniversary of NPM, which was initiated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996. Over the years, NPM has become a large literary celebration with schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets all celebrating poetry’s place in society.
Many writers use National Poetry Month as a motivator to write more poetry. Below I list a number of sites that could help you infuse your poetry practice with new energy during NPM.
Some sites encourage writers to share the poems that the prompts help generate. I personally avoid that step, for two reasons. For one, something I freewrite in response to a daily prompt is not ready to be shared immediately. And second, (and I admit this might be a little paranoid) I want to protect the "unpublished" status of my work so I can freely submit it elsewhere in the future. That’s my two cents to consider.
And with that said, here are some potential sources for poetic inspiration during April:
Poetic Asides PAD (Poem-A-Day) Challenge:
http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/2016-april-pad-challenge-guidelines
Shade 30FOR30 Poetry Prompt Challenge:
http://lutherxhughes.com/2016/03/28/30for30-poetry-prompt-challenge/
NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month):
thirty//thirty:
Poetry Super Highway Prompt-A-Day for National Poetry Month:
http://poetrysuperhighway.com/psh/a-poetry-writing-prompt-a-day/
Poetry Writing Workshops from Mslexia:
https://mslexia.co.uk/workshop/poetry-writing-workshops/
(Note: This is from a previous year. I don't know if new prompts will be offered in 2016, but the archive is a resource itself.)
30/30 Prompts at Asterisk and Sidebar*
http://nicolehomer.tumblr.com/
The Time is Now (year-round resource of excellent writing prompts offered by Poets & Writers):
http://www.pw.org/writing-prompts-exercises
Happy National Poetry Month to all!
Hard Truths.
Worth the read: Chuck Wendig lists 25 hard truths about writing and publishing.
If you are like me and trying to break through the glass to get a book published, you will find this candid article very interesting. Especially truth #15.
http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2016/01/25/25-more-hard-truths-about-writing-and-publishing/
Writing While Black.
Another article that I missed when it first came out, but is definitely worth the read: Literary Hub’s Morgan Jerkins discusses writing while black.
Great insight on the struggle to describe blackness without succumbing to the traps of clichés or typecasts. I think most writers of color can relate to this piece.