Late Essays by JM Coetzee review – dos and don’ts of classic novel writing
theguardian.com – Thursday October 12, 2017
A writer of JM Coetzee’s stature needs no preamble, and Late Essays does not offer one, plunging the reader directly into the literary criticism that the novelist has accumulated over the past 11 years. Some are expanded versions of his articles for the New York Review of Books; others are published introductions to works of great literature, from Daniel Defoe’s Roxana to Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich.
Introductions to classic novels comprise an interesting genre of criticism, with its own formal mechanisms. I don’t mean critical pieces prepared by scholars, but “prestige” essays, written by famous writers with a fondness for the book at hand. Yet is there any form of writing more ripe for reinvention? While they are revealing about the culture in general, such introductions rarely tell us anything worthwhile about the text or the acclaimed author’s work. Coetzee’s essays are different; this book emerges as an engaging series of master classes in novel writing, from which we might distil a selection of dos and don’ts.
Writers step in to defend author accused of plagiarism in New York Times
theguardian.com – Thursday October 12, 2017
More than 70 authors, including Pulitzer prize winners Jennifer Egan and Louise Glück, have come to the defence of the editor and poet Jill Bialosky after she was accused of plagiarism, saying that Bialosky’s “inadvertent repetition of biographical boilerplate was not an egregious theft intentionally performed”.
Stanton and Pocklington form The North agency
thebookseller.com – Wednesday October 11, 2017
Literary agents Mark Stanton and Kevin Pocklington, formerly of Edinburgh-based Jenny Brown Associates (JBA), are starting a new agency based in Newcastle called The North.
They will be joined by literary agent Allan Guthrie and freelance editor Julie Fergusson, while Jenny Brown and Lucy Juckes are to remain at JBA.
New Magazine Listing
firstwriter.com – Monday October 9, 2017
Publishes: Articles; Fiction; Nonfiction; Poetry
Areas include: Arts; Entertainment; Short Stories
Markets: Adult
Preferred styles: Literary
Literary magazine and website that supports artists taking their first steps in the world of publishing. Join online community for free in order to submit work. Selected works from those submitted to the online community will be chosen for print publication and receive payment. Also runs competitions.
Romance Novels Have A Major Diversity Problem, According To A Study From The Ripped Bodice Bookstore
bustle.com – Saturday October 7, 2017
According to a new study conducted by romance novel bookstore The Ripped Bodice, romance novels have a major diversity problem. Booksellers Leah and Bea Koch examined the catalogs for 20 publishers, and compiled the data in an infographic that alleges that less than 10 percent of the romance novels they published in 2016 were written by authors of color. The study only focused on traditional publishers, and does not include data for self-publishing and other non-traditional publishing methods.
New Literary Agency Listing
firstwriter.com – Wednesday October 4, 2017
Handles: Fiction; Nonfiction
Areas: Beauty and Fashion; Cookery; Crime; Design; Health; Historical; Lifestyle; Mystery; Psychology; Romance; Self-Help; Thrillers; Women's Interests
Markets: Adult; Youth
Treatments: Popular
Send query by email only, with first chapter (fiction) or first ten pages (nonfiction) in the body of the email. Attachments will not be opened. No queries by phone.
New Magazine Listing
firstwriter.com – Tuesday October 3, 2017
Publishes: Fiction; Nonfiction; Poetry;
Areas include: Horror; Psychology; Short Stories;
Markets: Adult
Online magazine, publishing fiction, short stories, micros, flash fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, in the horror genre. Aims to offer something new within the genre, with a focus on the psychological aspects of horror. See website for full submission guidelines.
Authors hit out at World Book Day for picking too many celebrity writers
telegraph.co.uk – Tuesday October 3, 2017
Top children's authors have hit out at World Book Day for picking £1 titles by a "clutch of celebrities" for next year's event.
In a post online David Almond, author of Skellig, wrote that "the nation's children are being shortchanged" by the decision to include four celebrity names among the ten chosen books.
9 Books On Writing That Will Help You Conquer The Toughest Cases Of Writer's Block
bustle.com – Sunday October 1, 2017
Ask any successful author for advice, and they will all tell you the same thing: to be a great writer, you have to be an avid reader. While its important to stack your TBR pile with the world's greatest works of prose and poetry, it's also essential to include books about the craft itself if you want to improve your writing. From style and grammar guidebooks to insightful essays from the world's best writers, these reads will help you work through even the toughest case of writer's block.
5 Writing Tips: Harlan Coben
publishersweekly.com – Saturday September 30, 2017
Working off my Rule 3, I'm going to skip boring you with a long introductory paragraph and get straight to it:
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