Writers & Books launches The Ladder literary conference
rochestercitynewspaper.com – Wednesday May 30, 2018
Writers are all too familiar with dry spells, creative roadblocks, and blank-page totalitarianism. The analogies are plentiful, and for good reason. But once victory is claimed -- finished manuscript raised triumphantly in the air -- what next?
In part, this is exactly the question that Writers & Books and its Executive Director Kyle Semmel want to answer with the new literary conference called The Ladder. The June 16 conference at Rochester Riverfront Hotel will be a marathon: a day-long boot camp featuring the expertise of more than 40 literature industry professionals -- published writers, editors, agents, and assorted panelists among them -- and 12 different workshops, all designed to help writers up their game.
New Literary Agency Listing
firstwriter.com – Tuesday May 29, 2018
Handles: Fiction; Nonfiction
Markets: Children's; Youth
Handles books for middle grade and young adults. No science fiction, fantasy, or picture books. Send query by email. No unsolicited mss or sample chapters. If no response after two weeks, assume no interest.
We're entering a golden age for radical publishing
thebookseller.com – Monday May 28, 2018
Hosted by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB), the London Radical Bookfair, held on this Saturday 2nd June, brings together a diverse community of radical booksellers and publishers from across the UK, showcasing the depth and breadth of radical publishing today.
But what does ‘radical’ really mean?
The Latin origin of the word denotes a change ‘from the root’ - and certainly a desire to create meaningful and positive social change from the ground up is what all those present on the day, booksellers and visitors alike, will have in common. Finding a single word to define a wide range of political positions is always going to fail to capture the many complexities covered: ‘radical’ is an imperfect word, but it is one with a rich tradition within British political struggle.
Another Romance Author In #CockyGate-Level Move
goodereader.com – Saturday May 26, 2018
Ah, who can forget only a couple of weeks ago when a romance author destroyed any hope of having a career and a dedicated following by being a jerk to other authors? Dubbed #cockygate, author Faleena Hopkins filed a dubious trademark-slash-wordmark on the word “cocky” as it pertains to her Cocky Brothers book series. She then moved forward with threatening other authors who had used the very same word in their titles, despite the fact that her wordmark was for the logo she created of the book series.
Publishers urge government on e-book VAT ahead of crunch EU meeting
thebookseller.com – Saturday May 26, 2018
Publishers are urging the UK government to support measures that would allow VAT to be removed on e-books, audiobooks and online newspaper and magazine subscriptions in the UK.
At a European Union meeting today (25th May) taking place in Brussels, finance ministers will consider new proposals that would allow all member states to reduce the amount of VAT they apply to e-publications, or not tax them at all.
21 Writing Prompts To Help You Finish An Entire Novel This Summer
bustle.com – Thursday May 24, 2018
Summer is officially here, and it's the perfect time to start writing a novel. There's no school and plenty of sunshine — which means it's the perfect season to focus on a new project. What could be more thrilling than buckling down and writing that book you've always been dreaming about?
During most of the year, I fantasize about having the time and space to work on my own writing projects. Even if you're not in school, there's something about summer that just makes everything seem more possible. I don't know if it's the same for you, but I always get a burst of energy when the weather gets hot and the days get long. At the beginning of the summer, it feels like anything and everything is possible.
New Literary Agency Listing
firstwriter.com – Thursday May 24, 2018
Handles: Fiction; Nonfiction
Areas: Autobiography; Cookery; Historical; How-to; Self-Help
Markets: Children's; Youth
Specialises in nonfiction, though also represents some children's and young adult fiction. Accepts proposals for nonfiction projects only. These should be sent hard copy by post. See website for full guidelines. Sister company provides chargeable services to writers.
Poetry Gone Viral
tabletmag.com – Tuesday May 22, 2018
“Every revolution in poetry is apt to be … a return to common speech,” wrote T. S. Eliot in his essay “The Music of Poetry.” Indeed, the spikes of poetry’s popularity, in our time, have been directly related to poets’ attempts to bring poetry back to the masses—and to speak, again, the vernacular language of the street. This happened in T. S. Eliot’s days with the advent of Modernism. It happened again with the Beats in the 1950s. Bob Dylan single-handedly brought on another wave with his poetic lyrics in the 1960s. Slam Poetry happened in the 1980s, and was reincarnated as Def Poetry Jam in 2000s.
Today, a new poetic revolution may be afoot.
Caroline Kaufman is a Harvard freshman, and her collection light filters in is being published by Harper Collins this week. As Kaufman pointed out to me during a recent interview over Zoom video conferencing, she didn’t seek out the publisher. Instead, the agent, Penny Moore at Empire Literary, approached her, having noticed Caroline’s Instagram account, @PoeticPoison, which now has more than 220,000 followers.
Should You Tell People You're Writing A Novel? Reddit Users Offer Their Tips
bustle.com – Tuesday May 22, 2018
Writer's block is arguably the worst thing that can happen to an aspiring author, but coming in at a close second is the frustration of dealing with this question: Should you tell people you're writing a novel? Replying to TheWayDenzelSaysIt on the r/writing subreddit, many redditors expressed reluctance to talk to non-writers about their pet projects. Their answers are both relatable and informative, and I've picked out some of the best for you to take a look at below.
The Internet can be a terrible place, and Reddit gets a bad reputation for housing some of the 'Net's most repugnant denizens, but places like r/writingare safe havens for hobbyists and creatives looking for communities based around their crafts. Seriously, if you're a writer who has no writing friends, hop on Reddit and get you some. Building a strong support network is one of the best things you can do to make sure you achieve your goals, especially if you enjoy writing challenges like NaNoWriMo and StoryADay.
New Magazine Listing
firstwriter.com – Tuesday May 22, 2018
Publishes: Fiction
Areas include: Short Stories
Markets: Adult
Preferred styles: Literary
A series of one-story chapbooks, publishing stories between 5,000 and 10,000 words, where work is a central theme.
Get the free newsletter | Submit a news item or article | Get Writers' News for your website
