'Reader's Digest' Wants Your Life Story in 150 Words or Less

Oh boy, do I have a contest for you long-winded Facebookers and personal bloggers. It's called, "Your Life: The Reader's Digest Version." The venerable magazine is willing to shell out $25,000 if you can keep The Story of You to a crisp and compelling 150 words (words, not characters—this isn't Twitter). Hell, I'd fork over that much if certain "friends" would stop sending me six-page family missives disguised as Christmas cards. Short and sweet, people! You are not that interesting. Jane Lynch, star of Glee and host of next month's Emmy Awards, gets the ball rolling with her own abbreviated life story on the magazine's Facebook page (see it after the jump). Shame, it sounds nothing like her caustic Sue Sylvester character from the Fox musical. Rather, it's an earnest promo-within-a-promo for Lynch's memoir, Happy Accidents, dropping in September. More celebrities with books to hawk will follow. But if Lynch, a sought-after, award-winning actress (Best in Show, Role Models, Party Down), can give a snapshot into her psyche within just a few sentences, so can you. I'd be even happier with a haiku. Jane Lynch's entry: "At the tender age of 50, I realized that I had the family, friends and the acting career I had always wanted. I had suffered on the way, feeling out of place, overcontrolling and drinking too much, but all that suffering had not fueled anything useful. The good things were a result of happy accidents that I had been willing, and let's hope smart enough, to... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2011-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #award-winning actress #role models #tender age #acting career #good things #stay open

Other Publishing stories related to: ''Reader's Digest' Wants Your Life Story in 150 Words or Less'


Short story writers lament profile problem

Short stories are gaining ground in the UK, but authors working within the format are finding it more difficult to break into the public consciousness than novelists, writers have told The Bookseller. Awards that cover all forms of fiction such as The Folio Prize, won in 2014 by George... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #short stories #gaining ground #public consciousness #folio prize #george saunders #december bloomsbury


‘Narcissism works really well': Why Time magazine created a site for its interactive stories

For better or for worse, news sites’ most popular digital offerings have been interactive games and quizzes. Now Time magazine has created a new home for its interactive stories -- like its quiz to see how much time you wasted on Facebook -- which have been the site’s most popular for the past... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #time magazine #reading time #news sites #facebook --


True stories inspire book prize wins

Real-life historical adventures inspire both winners of this years CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway medals, Tanya Landman and William Grill. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tanya landman


Hawkins and Nesbo shortlisted on Dead Good Reader Awards

Paula Hawkins, Steve Cavanagh, Clare Mackintosh and Jo Nesbo are among the writers who have picked up two shortlistings apiece for the inaugural Dead Good Reader Awards. The awards, nominated and voted for by readers, will be presented in Harrogate this July at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #paula hawkins #steve cavanagh #clare mackintosh #jo nesbo #crime writing


And Other Stories accepts Shamsie challenge

Independent publisher And Other Stories will only publish books by female writers in 2018, in response to a call for a Year of Publishing Women by the author Kamila Shamsie. The initiative, to be held in 2018 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of women getting the vote in the UK, would help... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing women #independent publisher #publish books #female writers #100th anniversary #gender imbalance


Is Indonesia a “Land Without Readers?”

Indonesia has a 93% literacy rate, but only a nascent book culture and few translations, all of which are slowing preparations for the Frankfurt Book Fair. The post Is Indonesia a “Land Without Readers?” appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


BookCon 2015: Judy Blume Dishes on Life in Fact and Fiction

After 750 fans gave Judy Blume a standing ovation before she even said a word on stage, Jennifer Weiner kicked off an hour-long Q&A with Blume during BookCon. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #standing ovation


BookCon 2015: Khloe Kardashian: Negotiating the Zigzags of Life

Kardashian will be signing bookplates for fans today, 11 a.m.–noon, at the Regan Arts booth (2644), as well as being available for a photo-op with fans. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Fitzcarraldo signs short story collection

Fitzcarraldo Editions has bought the debut short story collection from the winner of the inaugural White Review Short Story Prize, Claire-Louise Bennett. UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Ireland, were bought from Stinging Fly Press via Peter Straus at RCW.  The collection, titled Pond,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fitzcarraldo editions #claire-louise bennett #excluding ireland #peter straus #coastal town #deeply moving


BEA debates 'power shift' to authors and readers

The theme of the International Digital Publishing Forum conference on day one at Book Expo in New York was “Putting Readers First,” but whether power has shifted from publishers and retailers to readers - asserted in a keynote by Canelo Publishing’s Michael Bhaskar - was quickly challenged by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #putting readers #richard charkin #book expo #canelo publishing


'Hashtag' crowned kids' 'word of the year'

Oxford University Press has chosen hashtag as its ‘children’s word of the year’ because of its significant use in the 500 Words 2015 competition. The 500 Words competition was launched by presenter Chris Evans on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in 2011, and is for stories of 500 words or less by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


BEA 2015: Picture Perfect Stories

What started as a photography blog by former bond trader Brandon Stanton grew into the bestselling Humans of New York (St. Martin’s Press) in 2013. Now, with more than 12 million followers on Facebook. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Where’s Waldo the Reader? Book Discovery Tactics from IDPF

Executives from Goodreads, HarperCollins, and Penguin Random House shared book discovery tactics in the age of overload at BEA's IDPF conference on Tuesday. The post Where’s Waldo the Reader? Book Discovery Tactics from IDPF appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


BEA 2015: Early Favorites for Young Readers

As booksellers, librarians, and publishers descended on the Javits Center for the first full day of BookExpo America, there was strong early interest across all age ranges and genres, including adult books with YA crossover and vice versa. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #young readers #javits center #full day #bookexpo america #vice versa


BEA 2015: Amazon: Is It Good For Readers?

The impact of Amazon on the book business is a longstanding, ongoing debate. But is Amazon good for readers? That’s the topic of this afternoon’s discussion at this year’s International Digital Publishing Forum conference. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book business


Is Amazon Good for Readers?

A panel at the IDPF Digital Book Conference this Wednesday asks, is Amazon good for readers? Tell us what you think. The post Is Amazon Good for Readers? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Short story competition for No Exit

Oldcastle Books is launching a new short story competition for its crime fiction imprint No Exit Press as part of Oldcastle’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The competition will launch on 25th May to mark the publication of Leigh Russell’s latest novel, Killer Plan. It will be open to any... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #oldcastle books #exit press #leigh russell #unpublished writer #crime fiction


Facebook signs deal to directly publish news stories

Facebook has reached a deal with New York Times and eight other media outlets to post stories directly to the social network's mobile news feeds, as publishers strive for new ways to expand their reach. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2015-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media outlets


Big Publishers Will Now Post Stories Straight to Facebook

The New York Times, Buzzfeed, and others are now posting stories straight to Facebook. But how will that affect what news you see? The post Big Publishers Will Now Post Stories Straight to Facebook appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook appeared #big publishers


Transworld wins auction for Gárdos love story

Transworld has acquired a post-Holocaust love story by Hungarian author Péter Gárdos, said to be "the talk of London Book Fair", in a nine-way auction.   Jane Lawson, editorial director at Doubleday, bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Australia New Zealand, for Fever at Dawn, in a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sarah lutyens #jane lawson #bought uk #excluding australia #michael heyward #text publishing