How to Write a Roger Federer Think Piece

It has been a bit more than nine years since David Foster Wallace delivered “Federer as Religious Experience,” the Magna Carta of what has become one of the most popular genres in sports journalism: the Roger Federer think piece. The now-classic essay, penned for the short-lived New York Times sports magazine Play, inaugurated a run of dominance virtually without parallel in modern sports writing. As the 2015 U.S. Open closes, Federer’s place as the most artfully described tennis player in ATP history is secure; his long career has inspired many, including such luminaries as Tom Perrotta, L. Jon Wertheim, Calvin Tomkins, and Julian Barnes, to exquisitely articulate his physical presence. He’s even inspired multiple acclaimed books: In addition to Wertheim’s Strokes of Genius—about a single match Federer played against Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2008—William Skidelsky, the former literary editor of the Observer, released a well-received book in Britain this past summer, Federer and Me: A Story of Obsession. (It will be published in the United States by Simon & Schuster in the spring.) Continue reading at 'Slate'

[ Slate | 2015-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #julian barnes #physical presence #rafael nadal #literary editor #past summer #simon schuster

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Can a White Author Write Black Characters?

When a man routinely hailed as one of America’s “greatest living writers” publishes a new novel, one hardly expects it to draw reviews posing questions along the lines of “Can he do it? Can he actually pull it off?” Because when you’re Michael Chabon, Pulitzer Prize winner, the act of writing a... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2012-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Changed Reading. Now It Could Change Writing

Throughout its 17-year history, Amazon has helped change the way that books are sold, the format in which they’re read and how they are published. Now it could change how they’re written. In addition to the Kindle Fire HD and the Kindle Paperwhite, Amazon introduced a subscription book format... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2012-09-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #social networks #analytics dashboard #social features #sponsored content


Kobo Writing Life platform ups royalty rate

Kobo is to up the level of royalties self-published authors earn on its Writing Life platform by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder Blog: Blind Chinese Rights Activist Is Writing a Memoir

Chen Guangcheng, whose nighttime escape and conflict with the Chinese government led to a diplomatic crisis for the United States last spring, is writing a memoir to be published next year. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Writing Life: Chris Colfer of 'Glee' inspired by fairy tales

The television star mines childhood fascination in writing 'The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell.' When Chris Colfer was just 20, he'd already been named one of GQ magazine's men of the year, having sung and acted his way into the hearts of America as Kurt, the high-pitched, openly gay brunet... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #writing life #chris colfer #fairy tales #good sense


Gabriel García Márquez may never write again

The Nobel Prize-winning author's brother says the effects of dementia mean Márquez may be unable to write. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard Ford: Why writing is an act of optimism

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Ford talks about his new novel "Canada," his memories of the late Raymond Carver, and how art makes life.    Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How fast can they write? E-books push writer productivity

A dozen books a year? Some writers are accelerating the pace in this brave new world of ebooks. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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To live and write in L.A.

Writer Tod Goldberg couldn't quite grasp the essence of Los Angeles as a young first-time visitor, but that had as much to do with the city as with him.I can still remember the first time I saw Los Angeles. It was December 1980, I was 9 years old, and the view came from the back seat of my older... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #back seat #paperback books #college student


Faber launches writing prize

Faber has set up a new prize in memory of author Gordon Burn, alongside New Writing North and the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Boyd to write next Bond novel

Novelist William Boyd is to write the next James Bond book, with 007 set to return to a 1960s... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Adam Mansbach writes 'Seriously, Just Go to Sleep' for the kids

Adam Mansbach's 'Go the F— to Sleep' was fun for adults. 'Seriously, Just Go to Sleep' lets the kids in on the joke. And now he has projects to keep him awake.A year ago, Adam Mansbach was an award-winning novelist and aspiring screenwriter wrapping up a two-year teaching job at Rutgers... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #adam mansbach #award-winning novelist #bestseller lists


Reports: Apple Could Face Federal E-Book Suit Today

The Department of Justice may file a suit against Apple today over ebook price-fixing complaints, according to reports from Reuters and Bloomberg. The DOJ has been probing antitrust complaints regarding Apple's 2010 pacts with  book publishers; several of the biggest publishers are preparing to... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publishers #biggest publishers


McFly duo write children's book

Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter from McFly sign a publishing deal to produce two children's picture books. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Picoult to write YA for Hodder

Hodder & Stoughton has acquired a YA title by bestselling author Jodi Picoult and her teenage... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hodder stoughton #write ya #ya title


Hornby to receive sports writing award

The British Sports Book Awards is to celebrate its 10th anniversary with three new awards,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Retirement Community Residents Write Surprise WWII Hit

A last-minute addition to the University Press of New England list has become the fastest-selling book in the Hanover, N.H., university press consortium’s 42-year history and its first book to hit Amazon’s top 10. World War II Remembered isn’t even published by one of its regular distribution... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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JK Rowling writing adult novel

J.K. Rowling, whose Harry Potter fantasy book series became a global publishing phenomenon, is writing her first novel for adults but the title and plot are still a closely-guarded secret. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2012-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Closing on the Roger Smith Cookbook Conference

Already in the works are plans for the second annual conference… so stay tuned for further details in the coming months. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pan Mac acquires Hensher writing title

Pan Macmillan has acquired a non-fiction title by Man Booker-shortlisted novelist and journalist... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pan macmillan #non-fiction title