Joyce Carol Oates calls out the censorship of white, male authors
thepostmillennial.com – Tuesday July 26, 2022
Celebrated American author Joyce Carol Oates noted a literary trend on Sunday, which is that writing by white male authors is in a negative demand. She wrote that work by white male authors will not even be seen due to their race and sex. While Oates noted this issue on Sunday, it has been building in the arts community since at least 2004, as I wrote about in 2019.
"[A] friend who is a literary agent told me that he cannot even get editors to read first novels by young white male writers," Oates wrote, "no matter how good; they are just not interested. this is heartbreaking for writers who may, in fact, be brilliant, & critical of their own 'privilege.'"
Oates stated that this was "heartbreaking" for those writers who buy into the ideology of white privilege, and who may even be "critical" of it, but it is just as hard a pill to swallow for those white male writers who are not burdened by the inherent detriments associated with their race and sex.
New Literary Agent Listing: Tim Bates
firstwriter.com – Tuesday July 26, 2022
Represents a wide range of authors and is particularly interested in pop culture, narrative and serious non-fiction, food-writing, nature and the outdoors, sport and commercial non-fiction and fiction of all forms.
New Literary Agent Listing: Katie Salvo
firstwriter.com – Monday July 25, 2022
Has a background in literary criticism, philosophy, political theory, and history. She is particularly interested in representing women’s fiction, romance, children's books, middle grade, young adult, LGBTQ+, and historical biography.
Storyville: Writing Psychological Horror
litreactor.com – Sunday July 24, 2022
So the first thing I want to establish is some sort of baseline understanding of what psychological horror actually is. Here is a good definition from Wikipedia:
Psychological horror is a sub-genre of horror and psychological fiction with a particular focus on mental, emotional, and psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. The sub-genre frequently overlaps with the related sub-genre of psychological thriller, and often uses mystery elements and characters with unstable, unreliable, or disturbed psychological states to enhance the suspense, drama, action, and paranoia of the setting and plot and to provide an overall unpleasant, unsettling, or distressing atmosphere.
Based on my own writing and the books (and films) that I enjoy, I sometimes wonder if everything I consume is psychological horror. So let’s look at a few things that might NOT be considered psychological horror:
1. Graphic horror—horror that relies mostly on violence and gore to scare.
2. Action/jump scares—horror that relies mostly on cheap tactics or superficial elements to try and get a physical reaction from the audience.
3. Monsters—horror that relies mostly on creatures to scare you.
So let’s dig deeper to not only identify what the key elements of psychological horror are, but how you can best employ them in your fiction.
I wrote my first book in 30 days. Here are 11 tips and tricks to writing a novel.
insider.com – Sunday July 24, 2022
In addition to working at Insider as an entertainment editor, this year I also became a published author.
My debut novel, "This Way Out," was published around the world on July 1.
It is the story of Amar, a British-Bangladeshi man who gets engaged to his partner, Joshua, and must tell his devout Muslim family that not only is he gay, but he's marrying a white man. Amar's confession sets off a chain of dramatic events — both heartbreaking and hilarious — as he navigates his family's disapproval of his sexuality, his continued grief over his mother, and a meddling future mother-in-law.
I wrote the first draft of "This Way Out" in one month, between mid-June and July 2020. It was a challenge, to say the least, but ultimately, I'm glad I pushed myself to write it so quickly. Or it might still only exist on my computer.
Here are my top tips if you want to turbo-boost your writing career and finish your manuscript, too.
Showdown: DOJ’s Bid to Block PRH Acquisition of S&S Is Heading to Trial
publishersweekly.com – Sunday July 24, 2022
After a flurry of last-minute filings and orders, the U.S. Department of Justice’s bid to block Penguin Random House’s acquisition of rival Big Five publisher Simon & Schuster is ready for court. Oral arguments are set to begin on August 1 before Judge Florence Pan at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington, D.C., with the trial expected to run nearly three weeks.
According to recent filings, 72 total hours have been allotted for arguments—38 hours for the government, and 34 hours for the defense. The witness lists include a few boldface names, including many of the Big Five CEOs, some major literary agents, and bestselling author Stephen King, who is listed as a witness for the government.
The closely watched case holds major implications for a publishing industry that has been grappling with consolidation for years. It also looms as a key test for the government amid growing calls for more vigilant antitrust enforcement, and in the wake of a stinging defeat in 2018 in its bid to block the massive $85 billion merger between AT&T and Time Warner.
Lit Agent David Boxerbaum to Join Verve Agency
thewrap.com – Saturday July 23, 2022
Top Paradigm literary agent David Boxerbaum is leaving the company for a position at Verve Talent and Literary Agency, Verve announced Thursday.
Boxerbaum joined Paradigm in January 2012 following a stint at APA Agency. He also previously worked at William Morris, Metropolitan and Endeavor after he started his career working for producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
Boxerbaum is known for his expertise in the spec script market. He brings with him a notable roster of directors, writers and producers.
Your chance to be a top author: Who hasn’t dreamt of having a novel published? Well, today the Mail gives you the chance to do exactly that. Send us part of your story and a synopsis, and you could win a book deal – with a £20,000 advance!
dailymail.co.uk – Saturday July 23, 2022
Have you ever dreamed of seeing your novel in a bookshop alongside those of your favourite authors?
Is there a hard-edged thriller inside you, just bursting to get out, or a brilliantly researched historical adventure, a tear-jerking romance or even a comedy of modern manners?
Many of us dream of having a bestseller — but first you have to get your novel published, a daunting prospect in today’s competitive book market. Until now.
New Publishing Imprint Listing: Schiffer Kids
firstwriter.com – Thursday July 21, 2022
Our mission is to build the knowledge base for SEED and STEAM learning through content that promotes critical thinking, opens up conversations, and ultimately inspires young minds. Our award-winning titles explore concepts such as managing emotions, forming positive relationships, and making informed behavioral decisions. As a platform for the leading voices in social and emotional education, we support the SEED learning process by elevating their voices.
Amazon Self-Publishers Eye Emerging Legal Arena to Fight Piracy
news.bloomberglaw.com – Monday July 18, 2022
When Nick Singh’s self-published book “Ace the Data Science Interview” debuted on Amazon, he thought he’d evaded a big piracy risk by eschewing e-books and only releasing hard copies.
Singh’s guide to getting hired at Big Tech firms landed among Amazon’s top 3,000 best-selling books, but his success also put him in the crosshairs of counterfeit book printers that have proliferated on the online marketplace.
Less than a year after the book’s release, Singh said he spends several days each month pushing requests through Amazon’s take-down system for illegitimate listings, and he estimates he’ll lose 20% of his revenue this year to accounts hawking bootleg copies of his book.
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