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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Kobo has hired former Waterstones digital content acquisitions manager Diego Marano to head up... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook has designed a system that would allow individuals and advertisers to make direct connections to those physically nearby that share similar interests or are open to receiving certain advertisements. The company’s work was outlined in a U.S. patent filing for a “wireless social... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2013-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Seth Godin traces the ups and downs of the independent bookstore since WWII, while proclaiming that today is "a golden age for books," crediting Amazon. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ron Burgundy will be the name behind a book titled 'Let Me Off at the Top: My Classy Life and Other Musings.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ron Burgundy will be the name behind a book titled 'Let Me Off at the Top: My Classy Life and Other Musings.' Ron Burgundy is Will Ferrell's alter ego in the 2004 film 'Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When the University of California Press, in November 2010, published The Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1, it was in for a surprise: the 760-page hardcover, priced at $45, became an immediate bestseller. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The cost of ebooks has strained relations between libraries and publishers, forcing both to look for solutions. One answer is coming from distributors of self-published ebooks. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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While the media industry reels from the news that Jeff Bezos purchasing the Washington Post, it's still anyone's guess as to what the Amazon founder plans to do with the paper. An even more intriguing question is, will Amazon and the Post even mingle? Or steer clear of each other? Bezos, it's... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2013-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Suvudu, Random House's online destination for science fiction and fantasy fans, launched Suvudu Universe, an online community for SF and fantasy bloggers. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers need to work more closely with academic libraries in developing countries, a report by... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One part of a proposal to enforce the verdict against Apple for allegedly fixing ebook prices would require Amazon and Barnes & Noble 'buy' buttons in the Apple store, allowing consumers to easily compare ebook costs. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A report from the University of Illinois shows that copyright laws have squashed the market for books from the middle of the 20th century. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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South Korea's Paju Bookcity is unique in the world: home to some 200 publishing companies and 10,000 publishing professionals, mere miles from the North Korea border. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Can a blockbuster based on the Good Book pull off a miracle? Not when it's up against giant sharks . . Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald
[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2013-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It’s not news that mobile has become a strategic imperative for publishers. Smartphone ownership has now crossed the 50-percent mark in the U.S., according to the Pew Research Center, while mobile users are reporting significantly higher content consumption levels across the board. But... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2013-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As the nation's geeks and nerds pack away their spandex and cardboard cosplay costumes (until October's New York Comic-Con of course) staff writer and office comic book aficionado Sam Thielman explains who should be TV's next smash hit superheroes. Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2013-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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em>Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin made a special appearance at the show of comedy musicians Paul & Storm during Comic-Con this weekend, smashing one of their guitars in (faux) outrage after they launched into their song "Write Like the Wind," which admonishes the fantasy... Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2013-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Glenn Greenwald, the journalist who first reported on a trove of classified documents leaked by Edward J. Snowden, will write a book about National Security Agency surveillance, his publisher announced on Wednesday. Mr. Greenwald’s articles ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fellow bestselling author Stephen King and others in the literary community weigh in on J.K. Rowling's choice to release her latest book, 'The Cuckoo's Calling,' using a pen name. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On Monday it was announced that one juror who had found George Zimmerman not guilty had landed literary agent, Sharlene Martin. By 10 p.m., Martin announced she was dropping Juror B37 as a client.Maybe a book by a juror in the Trayvon Martin murder trial isn't such a good idea after all. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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