Literary fiction conveys the human character | Letters

Helen Cross, Andy Stelman, Mark Stewart and Richard Adams respond to a recent Guardian article by Tim LottAs someone whose tiny, grimy literary novels have attracted the interest of the film industry, the truth is the opposite of what Tim Lott (Why should we subsidise writers who’ve lost the plot?, 2 January) suggests; it’s the screenwriter who needs the literary novelist. Plot is easy to learn (and even easier to flog to impressionable students excited by the supposed glamour of the writing life), but impossible to make work on the page without an ability to master what the novel can uniquely convey: the deep mysteries of human interiority. Or, as the screenwriters say, character.Helen CrossFlamborough, East Yorkshire• Tim Lott clearly has not heard of, nor read: Adam Thorpe (Ulverton), Graham Swift (Waterland and Mothering Sunday), Sebastian Barry (A Long, Long Way and Days Without End), Colm Tóibín (Norah Webster), Kamila Shamsie (Home Fire), Salley Vickers (Miss Garnet’s Angel) and many other contemporary British and Irish authors who maintain and expand a “great tradition” of fictional output.Andy StelmanBishop’s Castle, Shropshire Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #mothering sunday #sebastian barry #irish authors

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March Religion Bestsellers: Furtick Breaks the Top Five, Films Boost Fiction Sales

Steven Furtick’s latest, ‘(Un)Qualified,’ debuted at #4 on our Religion Nonfiction bestsellers list for the month of March, while five books with a presence in Hollywood ranked among the top 10 in Religion Fiction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary world mourns Italian editor Giancarlo Bonacina

"Legendary" editor Giancarlo Bonacina has died in Milan, aged 78, following a long illness. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Piatkus appoints Young as non-fiction editor

Piatkus, part of Little, Brown, has appointed Jillian Young as commissioning editor for non-fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Illustration to Thrillers, Fiction and Nonfiction: International Titles on Offer at London 2016

We asked a few publishers which international titles they are especially excited to present to the publishing world at the London Book Fair this spring. The post Illustration to Thrillers, Fiction and Nonfiction: International Titles on Offer at London 2016 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Peter Dunne letters to Trapeze

New Orion imprint Trapeze is publishing The Fifty Things by Peter Dunne, a book of letters exploring the "social mores and morality of our time" in a bid to answer for his children "the eternal questions that line the path to peace of mind". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harriet Bourton to join Orion Fiction as publishing director

Harriet Bourton, editorial director at Transworld, is joining Orion Fiction as publishing director. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sphere non-fiction acquires Instagram star's 'Fit in 3'

Sphere non-fiction has acquired a debut health and fitness book by Instagram sensation Faya Nilsson, a personal trainer and winner of Cosmopolitan’s Lifestyle Blogger of the Year for her blog, fitnessontoast.com. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A letter supporting Carnegie Library occupiers

A letter from authors and illustrators calling on Lambeth Council to keep libraries in the borough open. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Header-bidding tech should be free. An open letter to publishers

by Andrew Rutledge, VP Sales, Publisher Technology Group, AppNexus Dear Readers: If you’re a digital publisher or app developer, chances are you’ve been approached by numerous ad tech sales teams in recent months, each extolling the virtues of header bidding. How do I know this? Well, I run... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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AWP 2016: Discussions of Diversity and Inclusivity in Literary Communities Take Center Stage

Calls for increased diversity and inclusivity were the focus of poet Claudia Rankine's AWP keynote presentation as well as many panels and conversations throughout the conference. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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AWP 2016: Book Fair Kicks Off; Penguin Random House Takes Notice of Literary 'Tastemakers'

The annual AWP conference opened Thursday at the L.A. Convention Center with nearly 11,000 attendees and a record number of exhibitors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mexican Author Wins Human Rights Award

Lydia Cacho is one of two writers who were recently named the winners of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives/Puffin Award for Human Rights Activism. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Isla Fisher pens children’s fiction series

Piccadilly Press has acquired world rights, excluding North America, to a children’s fiction series by actress Isla Fisher. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary Agent Jenny Bent on Foreign Rights and Comp Titles

Literary agent Jenny Bent discusses the current state of foreign rights deals and how she has been so successful growing her business worldwide The post Literary Agent Jenny Bent on Foreign Rights and Comp Titles appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Remembering the Indy and C&A | Letters

The Independent | Asa Briggs | English National Opera | C&A | Selfish geneAll thinking people will agree that the print world is a poorer place without what you call the “class act” of the Independent (Editorial, 26 March). It simply doesn’t suffice to “regret its fate” as you say and move... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J.K. Rowling offers rejection letters as lesson in perseverence

When fans struggling with literary rejection reached out to J.K. Rowling on Twitter, the best-selling author responded with words of inspiration and examples of some of her own rejection letters. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Impossible Task of Writing Historical Fiction

Kelly Kerney, who spent a decade writing the historical novel "Hard Red Spring," talks about the impossible task of historical fiction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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JK Rowling posts letters of rejection on Twitter to help budding authors

Harry Potter writer shares publishers’ brush-offs for first Robert Galbraith novel in attempt to to inspire other authorsThe Harry Potter author JK Rowling has shared some withering rebuffs publishers sent to her alter ego Robert Galbraith, in an effort to comfort aspiring authors.Rowling posted... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fiction v nonfiction – English literature's made-up divide

Some cultures do not distinguish between fiction and nonfiction – and instead talk of ‘stories’. Is that a barrier to English-language writers and publishers? Or should they just learn to enjoy telling tales?There’s a mighty canyon that runs down the middle of the world of the word, carving... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fond memories of Jackie and dead tortoises | Letters

Ah, fond memories of Jackie magazine in the Guardian (‘Girls sent us urine samples in Charlie perfume bottles’, G2, 22 March). Jackie was where I (and dozens of other writers) learned the writing trade. I sold my first short story to Jackie in December 1973 and earned £14. Flushed with success,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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