#PitMad Gives Unsigned Authors a Chance to Find a Literary Agent
distractify.com – Friday September 4, 2020
If you're a writer, you know the process of taking your dream of writing a book and making it a reality is not an easy road. While you may have spent countless hours on a manuscript or nonfiction proposal, getting it in the hands of an agent who is the right fit can be one of the hardest parts of the process.
Of course, you can always pitch literary agents the traditional way by sending query letters, though if that's still left your manuscript unsigned, then participating in PitMad might be your next move.
What is PitMad, and how do you submit your manuscript?
New Publisher Imprint Listing: Charlesbridge Teen
firstwriter.com – Thursday September 3, 2020
Features storytelling that presents new ideas and an evolving world. Our carefully curated stories give voice to unforgettable characters with unique perspectives. We publish books that inspire teens to cheer or sigh, laugh or reflect, reread or share with a friend, and ultimately, pick up another book. Our mission - to make reading irresistible!
Hachette UK Buys Laurence King Publishing
publishersweekly.com – Wednesday September 2, 2020
Laurence King Publishing (LKP) has been acquired by fellow U.K.-based publisher Hachette UK in a deal signed August 31. No price was disclosed.
Founded in London in 1991, LKP, which is currently distributed in the U.S. by Chronicle Books, has focused on publishing books and gifts tied to the creative arts. It is likely best known as one on the creators of the adult coloring format and was the original publisher of adult coloring book queen Johanna Basford. Her Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest adult coloring books sold more than 16 million copies globally and were a huge hit in the U.S. In recent years, LKP has become well-known for its gift products.
Why are cliches in writing so bad?
authorlink.com – Tuesday September 1, 2020
Writing is a craft that requires constant improvement, whether you are a beginner working to develop their first story or a seasoned author with many accomplishments under their belt.
Among other aspects, writing without cliches is one of the vital skills prospective essayists and novelists have to master before they start to consider publishing their works. If you’re struggling with this challenge and feel insecure about your texts, you can easily avoid cliches in writing in 6 simple and actionable steps.
But first, let’s talk about what cliches are, why you should steer away from them, and which ones are the most common (and, therefore, the ones you should be on the lookout for the most).
Why are cliches in writing so bad?
Cliché (past passive participle form of the French word clicher, referring to a stereotype) is a word or a phrase used so often in writing and speech that they’re no longer appealing or effective.
A Few Amateur Goofs to Avoid
By G. Miki Hayden
Instructor at Writer's Digest University online and private writing coach
firstwriter.com – Tuesday September 1, 2020
Your novel won’t be rejected just because the red flag is raised that you’re an amateur; however, the clues that you don’t know the rules of the road won’t endear you to agents, and unless the writing is otherwise good and the concept extraordinary, you may not be invited to join the agency gang. Have a read below to find out what errors to watch for.
International Dublin Writers' Festival to be held online this September
irishpost.com – Sunday August 30, 2020
CALLING ALL budding writers from across Ireland and beyond.
The International Dublin Writers' Festival is nearly upon us, with this year’s event heading online this September.
Now in its sixth year, the former Writers' Conference will go live next month with an impressive array of online speakers booked for this year.
There will also be a special live pitch session for anyone hoping to get their work published.
While the Covid-19 pandemic may have put paid to some of the usual festivities, the new digital-only festival promises to be quite the occasion before the festival returns for a full event in September 2021.
New Magazine Listing: Rising Innovator
firstwriter.com – Friday August 28, 2020
A web-only publication to support entrepreneurship in children. We have three basic targets: children aged 8 to 18, their parents, and any school staff that teach entrepreneurship. We offer news, profiles, guides, advice, and any articles of interest to our audience. We also offer a few free online tools as well, such as a quiz that helps children select a business idea.
Because of our different targets, sometimes we solicit the same content to be written for two different audiences. We keep content differentiated on our website. If you have further questions then please refer to the guidelines above or email us.
New Literary Agent Listing: Janet Silver
firstwriter.com – Thursday August 27, 2020
Represents literary fiction, memoir, and creative/narrative nonfiction with a compelling storyline. In both fiction and nonfiction, she seeks diverse, singular voices, and unique perspectives.
New Publisher Imprint Listing: Imagine Publishing
firstwriter.com – Wednesday August 26, 2020
Publishes 8-10 titles a year, primarily focused on history, politics, women’s studies, and nature.
Magazine Rejections and Learning to Love the Hate
splicetoday.com – Tuesday August 25, 2020
Many years ago, an editor at The Chicago Quarterly Review sent me one of the most colorful rejections I’ve gotten from a magazine: “I can’t think of a single person who’d want to spend thirty seconds with these morons,” meaning the characters in my short story but also, in a way, me.
It was a story about falling in love with a stripper in Missoula, titled “The Machinery Above Us,” and Eclipse Magazine took it some time after that. There were graphic parts in it and I noticed that the rejections came most fluidly from the Ivy and Ivy-adjacent literary journals on my submission A-list. The Partisan Review, The Paris Review, Doubletake, Story, and Boulevard rejected it with a quickness. They seemed to find the material distasteful.
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