Short ebooks: don't let one bad experience ruin a literary phenomenon

Penelope Lively's recent short ebook for Penguin drew criticism for its brevity – but readers should not be put off the genre as a whole"Overpriced", "ridiculous", I feel cheated". Amazon reviewers haven't been wholly positive about a digital short Penelope Lively has written for Penguin Specials. On the evidence of the story itself, it's not Lively's fault. Abroad is about a pair of art students who travel to 1950s Spain in search of picturesque peasants and are disappointed when they don't live up to expectations. It's funny and evocative of a time when rural Europe was still exotic.It also peters out after just 4,000 words, so I sympathise with anyone who felt ripped off by its £1.99 price tag. These days you can buy two whole novels for that. The sad fact is, publishers don't make any money if an ebook costs less than £1.99. Amazon does, because singles are the literary equivalent of a gateway drug.This was brought home to me on finishing Susan Hill's latest effort, Printer's Devil Court (99p), a haunting tale about pre-second world war medical students who experiment with resurrection. More substantial than Lively's, it's a great, old-fashioned ghost story, whose chilling impact was somewhat undermined by turning the final page to find Amazon ordering me to rate, review, tweet, Facebook and buy more books by Susan Hill. Was the ebook I'd enjoyed little more than a trailer?Singles are a clever marketing tool. But it would be a shame if readers short-changed by one... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Nigel J. Yorwerth, Known for Eponymous Publishing Consultancy and Literary Agency, Dies at 72

Yorwerth, who founded Yorthwerth Associates in 2003, is remembered for his advocacy for authors in the self-help and spiritual categories and as a fixture of the London and Frankfurt Book Fairs. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Amis, Hitchens and Larkin: bad behaviour and a messy personal life were once a gift for authors. Not any more | Martha Gill

Flaws used to feed their sales but now writers are expected to be saints‘As you get older you realise that all these things – prizes, reviews, advances, readers – it’s all showbiz, and the real action starts with your obituary.”Martin Amis first started spinning in favour of his future... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-05-27 17:31:09 UTC ]
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20 Must-Read Short Stories on Audio

These must-read short stories on audio will help you break out of reading slumps and give you a taste of an author's style, like Some People Have Real Problems by Brit Bennett. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-05-17 10:36:00 UTC ]
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New Leaf Literary & Media Faces Backlash After Dropping Authors

After New Leaf "amicably" parting ways with literary agent Jordan Hamessley on May 12, authors affected by the agent's departure took to Twitter to express concern over how the transition was handled as the agency defends their actions. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Rights in Reykjavik: An International Literary Festival’s Discussion

One size does not fit all when it comes to rights selling, as a Reykjavik Literary Festival conference on translation trends pointed out. The post Rights in Reykjavik: An International Literary Festival’s Discussion appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-05-12 21:46:21 UTC ]
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US February Statshot: Audio in Adult Titles Surpasses Ebooks

In books for adults as a sub-category, audio surpassed ebooks for the first time, according to February's StatShot. The post US February Statshot: Audio in Adult Titles Surpasses Ebooks appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-05-11 17:31:45 UTC ]
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The Best Short Stories about Art and Artists

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University) What are the best short stories about painters, artists, and the world of art? From Gothic pioneers like Edgar Allan Poe to realist writers like Edith Wharton, masters of the short story have often touched upon the subject of art and painting, using... Continue reading at Interesting Literature

[ Interesting Literature | 2023-05-10 14:00:48 UTC ]
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LGBTQ Writers Find Their Voice at Lambda Literary Retreat

As Lambda’s Writer’s Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices returns to an in-person format this summer, previous retreat participants look back on the experiences as a crucial moment in their development as queer authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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New Leaf Literary & Media Evolves Team to Meet Changing Industry Demands

The New York City-based literary agency announced three new director-level promotions among several new hires and staff changes across the agency. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Digital content platforms and streamers pitch new ad formats in short and long-form video on NewFronts day two

On IAB NewFronts day two, digital content platforms and streamers pitched new ad formats (with a focus on artificial intelligence and shoppable content) in short-form social video and longer-form TV shows and movies. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-05-03 10:01:00 UTC ]
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Lambda Literary Enters a New Chapter

The 35-year-old organization is amping up its advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ writers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary Lovers: A Sapphic Reading List for Every Mood

As a lesbian, I might be biased, but I think sapphic literature is the best kind of literature. Where else can you get this kind of desperate pining and unabashed yearning? Where else can you find women in such open and raw relationships to other women? I enjoy reading books by all kinds of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-04-27 08:54:10 UTC ]
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The Best Short Stories about Marriage

Marriage is a key theme in literature, of course: a fact which need hardly surprise us when we reflect that many people spend the majority of their lives married to somebody else. Marriage also touches upon other prominent themes, including love, commitment, having children, lust, conflict, and... Continue reading at Interesting Literature

[ Interesting Literature | 2023-04-26 14:00:21 UTC ]
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Jamil Jan Kochai Wins $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize

Jamil Jan Kochai wins the Aspen Words Literary Prize for his short stories focused on the absurdity and violence Afghans have endured. The post Jamil Jan Kochai Wins $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-04-20 08:22:53 UTC ]
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The Best Short Stories about Religion

Religion is an important feature of many people’s lives, so it shouldn’t surprise us that many writers of short stories have written about religion from various perspectives: the power of superstitious belief, the importance of religious conversion, the cultural role of Christianity, and many... Continue reading at Interesting Literature

[ Interesting Literature | 2023-04-19 14:00:16 UTC ]
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On the Outsize Power of the Short Story (AKA the Genre of “High Genius”)

Story collections are the country cousins of the American publishing landscape, tolerated with benevolent condescension while their authors are urged to produce that more glamorous product: novels. A novel might find a broad audience, even become a bestseller! Whereas—as a writer friend once put... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-04-13 08:53:59 UTC ]
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Author Chuck Forester Donates $250K to Lambda Literary

Lambda executive director Samiya Bashir called Forester's gift "transformational," which will allow Lambda Literary to usher in a new phase of expansion. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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On Literary Celebrity

Caryl Phillips on being chosen as a Best of Young British Novelists in 1993 and the nascent culture of literary celebrity. The post On Literary Celebrity appeared first on Granta. Continue reading at Granta

[ Granta | 2023-04-06 11:41:47 UTC ]
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How a Tiny Literary Magazine Became a Springboard for Great Irish Writing

The Stinging Fly has helped launch several of Ireland’s most promising writers. How has a publication with 1,000 subscribers carved a niche in the Irish canon? Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-04-05 09:00:42 UTC ]
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How to Pitch to a Literary Agent

In the latest “Craftwork” episode, a deep-dive conversation about literary agents with Carly Watters, herself a longtime literary agent and the co-host of the popular writing podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing. Carly is “very online” with a keen understanding of the digital... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-04-03 08:53:09 UTC ]
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