Em dashes—why writers should use them more sparingly.

According to the Associated Press Stylebook—Slate's bible for all things punctuation- and grammar-related—there are two main prose uses—the abrupt change and the series within a phrase—for the em dash. The guide does not explicitly say that writers can use the dash in lieu of properly crafting sentences, or instead of a comma or a parenthetical or a colon—and yet in practical usage, we do. A lot—or so I have observed lately. America's finest prose—in blogs, magazines, newspapers, or novels—is littered with so many dashes among the dots it's as if the language is signaling distress in Morse code.[more ...] Continue reading at 'Slate'

[ Slate | 2011-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Em dashes—why writers should use them more sparingly.

According to the Associated Press Stylebook—Slate's bible for all things punctuation- and grammar-related—there are two main prose uses—the abrupt change and the series within a phrase—for the em dash. The guide does not explicitly say that writers can use the dash in lieu of properly crafting... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2011-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BookCon 2015: Put ’Em Up! Powerhouse Mystery Writers Reveal Secrets on the ‘Pencil Panel’

Don’t tell anyone,” confides bestselling author Brad Meltzer about today’s panel “Inside the Mystery Writer’s Studio,” in which he is participating with fellow superstars James Patterson and Nelson DeMille. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mystery writer #nelson demille

Denis Johnson, 'Writer's Writer's Writer,' Dead at 67

The award-winning fiction writer, poet, and playwright, whose best-known and most influential work, the story collection 'Jesus' Son,' turned 25 this year, has died. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #denis johnson #story collection

‘The crime writer crime writers read’: Garry Disher, author of 60 books and finding fame in his 70s

The Australian author is ‘incredibly influential’, but has had to survive decades of ‘cultural cringe’ and genre snobbery to make finally ‘a decent sort of living’Before parched and dusty towns across Australia became full of fictional sinister people; before the explosion of outback noir and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-04-05 23:00:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #writing workshops #bestseller lists #australian author

Writer Mothers and Their Writer Children

Author Jill Hoffman, the daughter of a writer, explores her complex relationship with her daughter, yet another writer. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #complex relationship

Northern Writers' Awards gives £47k worth of prizes to 27 writers

Twenty-seven writers have been recognised at this year's annual Northern Writers’ Awards, sharing the £47,000 prize fund to enable their new writing in progress, across forms including prose, poetry and television.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-07-09 14:11:07 UTC ]
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Are You a New York Writer or an LA Writer?

You go to a coffee shop in order to focus on your craft. What do you order?  A. A black coffee.  B. An almond milk matcha.  What is your critically acclaimed debut novel about?  A. A man getting stuck on a subway train and revisiting the weight of all of the mistakes he’s made in […] The post... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2019-11-01 11:00:37 UTC ]
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London Writers Awards celebrates 30 'underrepresented' writers

Spread the Word has chosen 30 writers from underrepresented backgrounds for its second annual London Writers Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-23 16:49:46 UTC ]
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‘Writer’s Summit’ from London Book Fair and Writer’s Digest Announces Pitch Slam Agents

Now with a 'pitch slam' event in which writers present projects to agents, the November 'Writer's Summit' is co-chaired by The Guardian's Alison Flood. The post ‘Writer’s Summit’ from London Book Fair and Writer’s Digest Announces Pitch Slam Agents appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A 68-year-old aspiring writer accuses the Iowa Writers' Workshop of age discrimination

A 68-year-old man who was rejected by the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, claiming he was discriminated against because of his age. Dan Thomson, a former lawyer and self-published author, was among the 97% of applicants to the... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #self-published author

Writer's writer William Zinsser dies

Author and writing coach William Zinsser, who penned the best-selling book On Writing Well, dies in New York, aged 92. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #best-selling book

Mystery Writers of America Celebrates 2024 Edgar Award Winners

The winners—including James Lee Burke, who won the award for Best Novel, and Linda Castillo, who took home two awards—were announced at the 78th annual Edgar Awards Banquet, held on May 1 at the Manhattan Marriott Marquis in New York City. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-05-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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These are the “most influential” writers of the year.

This week, TIME magazine published its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People of the year. Usually, when this list comes out, I complain (to the universe, I guess) that there aren’t enough novelists (“enough” meaning “more than one”) on it. Last year, though, there were four, which was a... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-04-18 17:45:48 UTC ]
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PW Bookstore of the Year 2024 Finalist: Writer’s Block Bookstore

In the past decade, Writer’s Block, which sells new books for both adults and children, has become a literary hub of the Greater Orlando metro area. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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2024 Whiting Awards Recognize Emerging Writers

Aaliyah Bilal, Elisa Gonzalez, Javier Zamora, and Ada Zhang are among the 10 winners of this year's Whiting Awards for emerging writers of poetry, fiction, nonfiction and drama. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
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London: Tom Crewe Wins the Sunday Times’ Young Writer Award

Jury comments about the Sunday Times Young Writer-winning debut, 'The New Life,' call Tom Crewe's book, a 'tenderly sensual account of masculine sexuality.' The post London: Tom Crewe Wins the Sunday Times’ Young Writer Award appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-03-20 12:50:02 UTC ]
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Writers and Artists Across the Country

Two authors discuss their experience doing school visits through the nationwide literacy nonprofit. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-03-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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At London Book Fair: Writers’ Prize Names Its Winners

At London Book Fair, the top honor from the Writers' Prize, formerly the Rathbones, goes to Liz Berry for 'The Home Child.' The post At London Book Fair: Writers’ Prize Names Its Winners appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-03-14 05:01:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #top honor #london book