Professor Selina Todd argues that you can be taught to write well, as demonstrated by American and Australian university students. Plus letters from Christopher Dodd and Anthony OrmsonIan Jack’s wariness towards writing manuals and classes is a peculiarly British response to teaching this craft (So you want to write better sentences than Jane Austen?, 27 May. While visiting Australian universities a few years ago, I was pleasantly surprised by the fluency and clarity of the (history) students’ prose. It turned out they were taught to write – not by rote learning grammar, which is the only form of pedagogy recognised by the current British government, but in lively writing workshops that encouraged them to believe that anyone, given time and hard work, could write well. Conversations with American colleagues revealed a similar mindset and introduced me to the American writer William Zinsser, whose book On Writing Well I recommend to all my students. Zinsser’s democratic premise is that good writing is the result of hard work, not innate “talent”. That’s a radical realisation for many British students, brought up with the gentlemanly myth that talent is hereditary, effortless and looks a lot like a public schoolboy.It is no coincidence that Zinsser spent part of his career at the New School in New York, the self-declared “comprehensive university”. In Britain, the adult education movement, including the Workers’ Educational Association, and the Open University, has... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2017-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ukraine's new government is considering withdrawing support for the publishing industry and eliminating tax and other benefits for publishers to save cash. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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We can't say we know all that many people who routinely digest articles posted through Medium's social publishing platform. However, the readership is bound to go up now that the service has released an iPhone app. The mobile client is more of a... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2014-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Karen Stevens's collection of essays offers practical advice and inspiration for those embarking on the long, lonely journey of writing a novelAccording to Karen Stevens, "writing a novel is the longest and loneliest journey a writer can embark upon". Her collection of essays by established and... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Owner Richard Desmond agrees to officially audited figures for monthly visitors to dailystar.co.uk and express.co.ukOfficially audited traffic figures for the Daily Star and Daily Express websites have been published for the first time – ranking them bottom in the national newspaper online... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Over the weekend, I got email from developer Jeff Nelson referencing his blog response to my BetaNews story: "Chromebook belongs to computing's past, not its future". He is among a majority of responders who disagree with my assessments about the future of PCs depending on keyboard and mouse.... Continue reading at Betanews
[ Betanews | 2014-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Editors from Algonquin Books, Oxford University Press and Dalkey Archive discuss the first books they acquired, in an interview with Matt Seidel for The Millions. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lynch, who stars on the TV series 'Glee,' will co-write a story about a little girl who enjoys bullying others until someone takes her on. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reports from the Association of American Publishers on ebook sales suggest that the industry is maturing and growth will plateau soon. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Removal of books by revered Palestinian poet from Riyadh publishing event is condemned by PEN as censorshipThe removal of works by the esteemed Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish from a major book fair in Saudi Arabia for reportedly containing "blasphemous passages" has drawn widespread... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Still captivated by the distinctive small Virginia town where he grew up, Billy Coffey returns to its proxy in his latest novel, which explores what happens when 20 years’ worth of guilt about a young man’s untimely death overtakes three high school classmates. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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During a panel at Austin's South by Southwest conference, Kaling said she is writing another book. Kaling's show 'The Mindy Project' was recently renewed for a third season. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards teams up with his artist daughter to write a picture book inspired by his own granddad teaching him to play the guitar. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2014-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A new technology that is set to make its debut in April could one day make it possible for users to read Harry Potter books in just a few hours. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2014-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Both acclaimed author Karen Russell's new novella 'Sleep Donation' and debut author Kenneth Calhoun's novel 'Black Moon' take place in a future world where sleep problems abound. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Philip Pullman has spoken out in defence of school libraries, saying it is "very important... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Writing for The Guardian, Robert McCrum observes that “the credit crunch and the internet are making writing as a career harder than it has been for a generation.” Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Plus Douglas Adams on advertising, 'paper' currencies, Acer on Windows Phone, and moreA quick burst of 8 links for you to chew over, as picked by the Technology teamRiver level data must be open >> Climate Code FoundationNick Barnes has seen his home flooded for the second time in a month:... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The leading French cultural product chain Fnac may have turned the corner financially,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Haven't finished a book since college? Between work, family, and social lives, trying to find time to read can be more effort than relaxing hobby. Here's how to make more time for your favorite page-turners.Reading is one of the most pleasurable activities out there. On a scale of human... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2014-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mossless has put out just two issues of its magazine, and for its third issue, the new photography publishing outfit is putting out a book--a very large book. With 550 photographs by more than 100 American photographers, it will fill more than 280 pages. It might be the largest independent... Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2014-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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