Brandon Taylor: ‘Writing is the most fun I’m capable of having’

The American author talks about growing up queer in a family of ‘wolves’, poverty and class in the US, and the 19th-century writers who inspired his latest novelBrandon Taylor writes quickly. “I can type almost as fast as I can think,” he says. The first draft of his debut novel, the Booker-shortlisted Real Life, took him five weeks; last June he challenged a writer friend to a race. The friend had been 30,000 words ahead on his book, with Taylor going from a standing start, but by August, Taylor had finished, while his friend was still ploughing on.Since Taylor says that “everybody in my family dies young”, one might assume that this is a rush to seize the day. But writing, he says, is also “the most fun I’m capable of having”. When he discovered the internet aged 12, via his parents’ dial-up modem in rural Alabama (the web being “this beautiful land that I could only visit temporarily because somebody wouldn’t pay the phone bill”), Taylor used to produce 8,000 words a day, writing five collaborative stories at once on roleplay forums. “That was good training for having stamina as a writer,” he explains, a genial 34-year-old in a blue denim shirt sitting at a table in the Guardian’s London offices. “As long as I have a good sense of scene or character, when I get a good first line there is nothing standing between me and the end.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2023-06-03 10:00:28 UTC ]
News tagged with: #brandon taylor #standing start #good sense #beautiful land #london offices #american author

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Brandon Taylor: ‘Writing is the most fun I’m capable of having’'

Op-Ed: How an antitrust trial could reshape the books we read — and who writes them

The proposed merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster could lead to fewer voices — including marginalized voices — being published. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-08-18 10:09:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #antitrust trial #proposed merger #simon schuster #penguin random house

Japanese American Incarceration for Children: Brandon Shimoda on Reading with His Daughter

I discovered something about my daughter’s relationship to books: if I cry the first time we read one together, it is likely she will not want to read it again. This has happened several times, most often with books written for children about Japanese American incarceration.  My daughter is... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-18 08:55:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books written

Lucy Sante on Writing with the Back Brain

The following first appeared in Lit Hub’s The Craft of Writing newsletter—sign up here. At a literary festival a few years ago, during question time after a panel discussion, an audience member told me, “You’re one of those intuitive writers,” stepping hard on the adjective. Aren’t we all... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-12 08:52:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lit hub #sthe craft #question time #panel discussion #writing newsletter—sign #literary festival

Augusten Burroughs wants to help you process your trauma through writing (for $50,000).

If you have unprocessed trauma, $50,000, and a sense of adventure when it comes to your mental health, a new “wellness recovery program” created by Augusten Burroughs—author of the best-selling memoir Running With Scissors—may be right up your alley. The week-long program, called Focus-Directed... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-08 14:41:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mental health #memoir

Writing Intimate Truths and Why Memoir Is a Force That’s Changing the Culture

Write-minded: Weekly Inspiration for Writers is currently in its fourth year. We are a weekly podcast for writers craving a unique blend of inspiration and real talk about the ups and downs of the writing life. Hosted by Brooke Warner of She Writes and Grant Faulkner of National Novel Writing... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-01 08:51:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fourth year #weekly podcast #writing life #grant faulkner #memoir

Fun fact: Zadie Smith’s younger brother is in the bad Austen adaptation.

Today in extremely niche literary world factoids: in case you didn’t know (I did not) Zadie Smith has a younger brother named Ben Bailey Smith, an actor and standup who goes by Doc Brown, admires Taylor Swift’s writing ability, and features in Netflix’s new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-20 16:07:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fun fact #zadie smith #younger brother #jane austen #literary world

Fun, Feel-Good, & Empowering Middle Grade and YA Science Fiction and Fantasy

These middle grade and young adult science fiction and fantasy books are empowering and fun, and will provide the best light-hearted escape, like The Lost Ryū by Emi Watanabe Cohen. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-07-20 10:33:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fantasy books #middle grade #lost ryū #science fiction

“I Did Not Get Anywhere Until I Became a True Literary Citizen.” Courtney Maum on Making a Writing Career

I remember the first time I met Courtney Maum. It was nearly ten years ago, a spring or maybe summer day in Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens. We were both in our twenties, no books published yet, just a few free essays here and there, just starting our writing careers with the fierce intensity of Jack... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-18 08:52:29 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #courtney maum #writing career #writing careers

Erika L. Sánchez Wishes More Authors Would Write About Money

“I grew up working class and money was a factor in everything we did,” says the poet and novelist, whose new book is the memoir “Crying in the Bathroom.” “That’s why I always write about the financial realities of my characters.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-07-07 09:00:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #working class #memoir crying #memoir

Eso Won Books Writes Its Closing Chapter

Eso Won Books, part of the Los Angeles book scene for more than 33 years and one of the country's most prominent Black bookstores, will close by the end of 2022, co-owner James Fugate confirmed. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Imagining More: Women Writing Worlds in Crisis

I wrote the bulk of my debut novel between 2016 and 2020, years of intense political tension and heightened concern for our planet and the people we love. My debut novel, Walk the Vanished Earth, is a speculative exploration of what it means to be both a parent and a child at the mercy of […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-01 08:51:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #debut novel

Baker & Taylor Sells U.K. Division

A little more than six months after acquiring Baker & Taylor from the Follett Corp., new owner Amandeep Kochar sold Baker & Taylor UK to the Little Group, parent company of the U.K.'s largest wholesaler, Gardners. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-31 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #follett corp #largest wholesaler

Amazon confirms it removed Harvey Weinstein autobiography that he likely didn't write

'Harvey Weinstein: My Story,' a memoir allegedly written by the convicted producer, went up for sale on Amazon on May 10 but was pulled Friday. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-05-27 21:49:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harvey weinstein #memoir

Writing for Readers of All Ages: Spotlight on Emunah La-Paz

With a romance series, a memoir, and a picture book, the versatile author leverages social media to grow her fan base and interact with readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture book #fan base

The Morning After: The Odin is a capable, portable retro console

When it comes to retro portable gaming, even the better handhelds usually only emulate the original PlayStation and N64 era. But if you’re a fan of the GameCube or PS2 libraries (and you should be), the number of handhelds capable enough, well-made enough and reasonably priced enough is... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-05-13 11:15:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cut costs #present day #physical space #real world #tech giant #libraries

Quiz: You’re Going on a Scavenger Hunt to Find Your Next Fun Queer YA Read

Take this quiz to go on a scavenger hunt and get a fun queer YA book recommendation based on what you find! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-05-03 10:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ya book

What is it Like to Be a Blind Writer Writing for Sighted Readers?

What is it like to be blind in an industry overwhelmingly dominated by sighted individuals? Jessica Powers, founder and publisher at Catalyst Press, spoke to George Mendoza and Kristen Witucki about crafting stories for sighted readers, finding community and release in fiction, and battling... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-04-28 08:58:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traditional publishing

“I Trust Nothing But Music.” Valzhyna Mort on the Patient Listening of Writing Poetry

My first encounter with Valzhyna Mort’s work was Collected Body, her second book of poems released in America, which I picked off a shelf in a bookstore in Upstate New York. As its title suggests, the collection explores the body as a conflicted site of desire and repulsion, mythology and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-04-13 08:51:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #valzhyna mort #writing poetry #title suggests #bookstore

Conservative lawmaker writes children’s book in praise of solidarity and collective action.

Does the following really sound like contemporary American conservatism to you?  Dawn of the Brave, which is aimed at children age 6 to 10, helps readers recognize that everyone has strengths and weakness, but teamwork allows people to come together for the greater good. I am… confused. Dawn of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-04-11 14:24:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #collective action #greater good #children’s book

Delia Ephron writes rom-coms. Then her life turned into one.

The author behind such favorites as “You’ve Got Mail” shares her own made-for-Hollywood tale in “Left on Tenth” Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-04-09 12:00:29 UTC ]
More news stories like this |