Books are making a comeback as sales rise again
theaustralian.com.au – Sunday June 26, 2016
“A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.” Luckily for dreamers and writers such as British storyteller Neil Gaiman, responsible for that quote, the printed book lives on.
Just as Michael Bodey wrote last week of the rude good health of the radio industry, against all expectations, the traditional book is making a comeback. Last year, for the first time in nearly a decade, book sales rose in Australia — by 2.4 per cent to $979 million. Add $410m in education sales and leading Australian publishers are starting to see a way through the digital disruption of the past decade.
Former Orion editor Silk becomes literary agent
thebookseller.com – Thursday June 23, 2016
Former Orion editor Julia Silk is forging a new career path as a literary agent in association with MBA Literary Agents.
Silk, who has worked as an editor for 15 years, most recently with Orion, will be building her own client list with a focus on commercial fiction, crime and thrillers, extending to accessible literary fiction "if a voice really grabbed me".
She is also open to proposals for "platform-driven non-fiction", in the areas of parenting and lifestyle, fashion, style and beauty, as well as narrative non-fiction and memoir.
"The Literary Lunch" Podcast Hosts Smith Publicity President Sandy Smith
digitaljournal.com – Wednesday June 22, 2016
Sandy Smith, president of prolific book marketing agency Smith Publicity, was recently invited to join the hosts of the popular Literary Lunch podcast and share her thoughts on book publicity strategies. "The Literary Lunch" is hosted by Laura Rothschild and Sandra O'Donnell, Ph.D., both of whom are literary agents and the co-founders of RO Literary Agency.
Literary Agent Lindsay Framson Leaves UTA, Joins Kaplan/Perrone As Manager
deadline.com – Wednesday June 22, 2016
Framson had been at UTA for eight years. She started in the agency’s mailroom in 2008 and worked in the TV lit department as an agent for the past four years. Clients who will stay with her in her new role as manager and become clients of Kaplan/Perrone include Justin Brenneman (Quantico), Kyle Flynn, Kathleen Hale, Danielle Henderson (Divorce), Emily Hirshey (The Ranch), Matt Hausfater (Undateable), Deirdre Mangan (iZombie), Morgan Margraf & Jerica Lieberman (Mistresses) and Jack Lawrence Mayer (Single Long).
Online journal in search of writing
firstwriter.com – Wednesday June 22, 2016
Forage Poetry Journal is a recently created online journal in search of writing and art that is accessible, and that "reaches into that space between our heads and our hearts to open a door to something we had almost missed".
The magazine is accepting submissions on a theme of the Poetry of Tragedy until July 20th, 2016. The submission page also contains information on upcoming themes and future deadlines.
The magazine also welcomes creative nonfiction, essays, photography and original artwork for each theme.
Bards beware: Fiction-writing AI demanding spot at table of content
japantimes.co.jp – Sunday June 19, 2016
It was a dark, overcast day, with clouds hovering low.
The room was kept at the most appropriate temperatures and humidity, as usual. Yoko sat on a couch in an untidy manner, killing time with a silly game. But she would not talk to me.
I’m bored. I could not be bored more . . .
So begins a short story titled “A day when a computer writes fiction.” The story, in which boredom prods a computer into writing a novel, was created with the help of artificial intelligence.
Poems still sought for Welcome to Leicester
firstwriter.com – Friday June 17, 2016
Poems are sought for the Welcome to Leicester anthology. The deadline for submissions of poems on the theme of messages or stories about the city of Leicester is July 15, 2016.
Submissions can be made by email to poetry@leicesterwrites.co.uk or by post. Only previously published poems can be accepted.
Female-focused new writing company the Coterie launches
thestage.co.uk – Thursday June 16, 2016
A new theatre company with a focus on nurturing female playwrights has been launched.
Created by director Caitlin McLeod, the Coterie will initially focus on commissioning three new plays by women over a period of a year and a half, to allow time for the scripts to be fully developed.
UTA Hires TV Lit Agent Rina Brannen
deadline.com – Saturday June 11, 2016
Brannen comes from the Rothman Brecher Agency, where she was an agent in the TV lit department for the past three years. She began her career as an assistant in the Motion Picture Literary department at CAA then went on to work for various producers and filmmakers before joining the Gersh Agency, where she worked as agent for two years.
National Poetry Anthology seeks submissions
firstwriter.com – Monday June 6, 2016
The National Poetry Anthology is seeking submissions of poetry from across the UK by June 30, 2016.
Entry is free and over 100 winners will be selected this year. Each will receive a free copy of the book. One overall winner also gets £1,000 and a trophy to keep for life.
Get the free newsletter | Submit a news item or article | Get Writers' News for your website
