11 Essential Books On Writing, Based On The Genre You Want To Write
bustle.com – Saturday December 30, 2017
If you're an aspiring writer, you know that you have to read all kinds of books in order to hone your technique, but sometimes it might seem as if every writing book you look at is tailored toward people who want to write books in other genres. Not to worry, wordsmith, I have the No. 1 must-read book for aspiring writers in every genre below, so you can start building a library of writing references that work for you and your craft.
7 Online Writing Workshops That Will Help You Write Your Novel In The New Year
bustle.com – Saturday December 30, 2017
So you want to "write more" in the new year. But now that the new year is nearly upon us, you're starting to spiral into a writerly panic. How will you find the time to write? What are you going to write about? How do you take that beautiful, gleaming vision of a novel that's in your head and cram it onto the page? If you're looking for a little more structure and guidance in your writing life, but you don't have the time or the funds for an MFA, you might want to try joining a writer's workshop from the comfort of your own bed. Here are a few online writing workshops to help you write more and write better in the new year.
The Guardian view on literary fiction: in need of support
theguardian.com – Wednesday December 27, 2017
Literary fiction, you might think, is in wonderful health. Book festivals, from Edinburgh and Wigtown in Scotland, to Hay-on-Wye in Wales, to Cheltenham and Bath in England, are flourishing. There is certainly no shortage of people eager to become authors of literary fiction: creative writing courses have proliferated. The British, you could argue, are more at home tucked up with a decent novel than with any other artform. Britain is, after all, the country of Austen, the Brontës and Eliot; of Ian McEwan, Zadie Smith and Hilary Mantel.
Children’s book publishers turn to ‘sensitivity readers’
seattletimes.com – Sunday December 24, 2017
Late last year, novelist Keira Drake said her publisher was giving away copies of her upcoming young-adult novel, “The Continent,” a fantasy set in a world where two nations have been at war for centuries. “It’s raining books!” she wrote.
Her enthusiasm was quickly punctured. Online reviews poured in, and they were brutal. Readers pounced on what they saw as racially charged language in the descriptions of the warring tribes and blasted it as “racist trash,” “retrograde” and “offensive.” Drake and her publisher, Harlequin Teen, apologized and delayed the book’s publication.
Philip Pullman: I use coloured pencils to show which key I’m writing in – D minor, at the moment
theguardian.com – Saturday December 23, 2017
The author on the importance of desk height, watching birds and Myriorama cards
I get to my desk (in a very small room at the top of the house) at about 10, and fiddle about with the height of the desk and the chair until I’m comfortable. I have a desk that I can raise or lower according to the state of my aching back. Sometimes I stand at it, and sometimes I have it high up to write at, and sometimes a bit lower to type.
'Women are better writers than men': novelist John Boyne sets the record straight
theguardian.com – Tuesday December 12, 2017
Male authors are always pronouncing their own brilliance – or boasting about not reading books by women. So, after a lifetime of writing and attending literary festivals, John Boyne would like to get something off his chest …
Want to Succeed at Self-Publishing? Join a Writers' Group: Tips from an Indie Author
publishersweekly.com – Monday December 11, 2017
Writing a book about living with areata—a condition in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, leading to baldness—was a way for Deeann Callis Graham to “find some peace with what was happening to [her] physically and emotionally.” The book, Head-On, was praised by Publishers Weekly as “heartwarming” and “a powerful compilation of profiles with a sincere and encouraging message.”
Before self-publishing Head-On, Graham went to writing workshops, met other indie authors, and read widely about publishing. Although she was ready to tackle the writing and design of the book, she was caught off-guard by the demands of marketing. “Marketing is a long and arduous process that I wish I would have known more about in the beginning…Most of the marketing I do is within the alopecia areata community. My biggest surprise has been the challenge of reaching that niche audience. I thought it would be easier.”
Why I Chose to Self-Publish Again
huffingtonpost.com – Sunday December 10, 2017
It wasn’t the original plan. After self-publishing four historical baseball novels through my Grassy Gutter Press imprint, the goal with my first foray into the Young Adult market was to sell THE INVASION OF NORMANDIE to an actual publisher and get it into as many reader hands as possible.
It wasn’t going to happen right away.
4 Literary Magazines Every Aspiring Writer Should Subscribe To
studybreaks.com – Thursday December 7, 2017
When you are an aspiring writer, it is always important to develop your craft as the years progress. You want your writing to grow with you. Helping your writing grow could mean you spend a lot of time writing, or you have majored in the field at your chosen college.
How to get published if you’re not in the know
irishtimes.com – Wednesday December 6, 2017
Everyone who works in publishing will be familiar with the phone call in which you are asked to advise a friend or friend-of-a-friend about a book they have just written. Some people might pretend to roll their eyes or grumble a little, but it is, to be honest, one of the most gratifying of moments. We all know it. Finally, you can be of some actual use to all the people with real jobs who were always happy to offer you practical help over the years when you were reading things.
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