The Cif community challenges its writers – and can change their minds | Seth Freedman

Georgina Henry's kind but firm encouragement to go below the line on my pieces has transformed my life as well as my idealsFor a wide-eyed, wannabe writer, being cast into the Cif lions' den induced fear and pride in equal measure. The chance to contribute to such a paradigm-shifting project was one any budding journalist would jump at, but at the same time there was no hiding from the army of commenters ready to tear each and every article to shreds in the threads below. And since I was writing about the most incendiary topic under the Cif sun, the venom and vitriol would start flying from the minute the publish button was pressed on each of my pieces.Despite alarmingly inauspicious beginnings – ending my debut BTL comment with a sneering "Whatever mate – I write, you read …" – it soon became apparent that the Cif process was a two-way street. The site's original editor, Georgina Henry, encouraged me to participate in the threads from day one, telling me firmly but kindly that venturing below the line was "more than good form – they expect it". To her and her burgeoning ranks of readers and commenters, writers' jobs had only just begun when their pieces were put up on the site; the real work took place in the lengthy and vociferous threads that followed.No sooner had I started joining in the debate I found – like so many others – that I just couldn't stop. The addictive nature of the Cif beast meant I always wanted to respond, forever craved the last word, couldn't help... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #earliest days #crude prototype

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The Cif community challenges its writers – and can change their minds | Seth Freedman'


Can digital community support writing, really?

Not unlike climate change, it's something that digital-age writers worry about, but can't nail down. I'm not sure what effect the accepting warmth of digital communities has on our literature. I don't think encouraging people can make bad writing suddenly appeal to the masses. Are the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Agent reactions 'depend on author gender', claims writer

US writer Catherine Nichols has revealed that she received eight times as many responses by sending out her manuscript to agents under a man’s name than when sending it out under her own name. In an essay for Jezebel, Nichols said she sent query letters to 50 agents under her own name,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


'Don't be a prima donna, Doris' … and other advice. UEA opens writers' letters

The University of East Anglia is publishing archived private correspondence from novelists such as Doris Lessing, JD Salinger and WG Sebald to inspire today’s students of creative writing“Don’t,” a young Doris Lessing is advised as she tries to find a publisher for her first novel, The Grass is... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #east anglia #nobel prize


Seeing stars: writers should not fear online reviews

Will social media and aggregated preferences sweep away book reviewing and literary culture? There’s nothing new about the death of literatureThe writer Caleb Crain is unhappy about “the intrusion of counting into the life of literature”. He believes that big data and predictive-taste algorithms... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary merit


Ready for Your Close-up?  What YouTube Can Do for Writers

Teymour Shahabi found motivation to write by posting videos about self-publishing on YouTube , which gave him both an education and an audience. The post Ready for Your Close-up?  What YouTube Can Do for Writers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #writers appeared #posting videos


Binders Full of Women Writers: can a secret Facebook group claim to be inclusive?

Can an online ‘safe space’ be both selective and preoccupied with inclusivity? That’s a question that Binders Full of Women Writers is trying to sort out after a member published an article about the Facebook groupThe first rule of Binders Full of Women Writers is: you do not talk about Binders... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public media #fight club


Five Liverpool libraries 'ready for community groups'

Liverpool city council is preparing to hand over five libraries to local community groups to run, according to the Liverpool Echo. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #liverpool libraries #community groups #liverpool echo


Tablet to Tablet: What Hasn’t Changed in Publishing — and Should

Bob Pritchett, CEO of Faithlife, creator of Logos Bible Software, uses the history of the tablet reader to discuss changes in digital publishing today. The post Tablet to Tablet: What Hasn’t Changed in Publishing — and Should appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


The Challenges of Translating Harper Lee

The success of "Go Set a Watchman" has translated into success for the Spanish edition of the book. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


The day I met EL Doctorow: from Persian translations to his view of a writer's duty

After celebrated novelist’s death last week, Saeed Kamali Dehghan remembers an interview with him on everything from books to Iran’s copyright infringementMost famous writers don’t have a clue that their work has been translated into Persian and that they are literary celebrities in Iran. When... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #eventually find #copyright protection


America’s Next Slate Writer

Hello, Slate Plus members! I’m writing this on my first day as a Slate senior editor. (Readers of the Slate Book Review might know me from the essays I’ve been writing about children’s books.) I’ve joined the magazine to focus on Slate Plus content—everything from the Slate Academy podcasts... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2015-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ve joined


Authors Guild Urges More Book Contract Changes

The Guild addresses time limited book contracts, subrights, and the out-of-print clause in the latest installment of its Fair Contract Initiative. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latest installment


Fantasy Writer Greenwood Launching Publishing Group

Ed Greenwood, best known as the bearded creator of the Forgotten Realms universe for Dungeons and Dragons, is launching an unconventional publishing group of his own, called The Ed Greenwood Group (TEGG). Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Publisher finds that writers' influences are mostly male

When Tramp Press asked authors submitting manuscripts to name the writers who inspire them, only 22% were female - pointing again to ‘the larger issue in the industry: our habitual dismissal of women’An Irish publisher has stoked the flames of the gender debate currently running in the literary... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publisher finds #larger issue #irish publisher #literary world


Style writer Francesca Hornak to Pavilion Books

Portico, an imprint of Pavilion Books, has bought two books by Sunday Times Style writer Francesca Hornak. Commissioning editor Nicola Newman bought world rights in History of the World in 100 Modern Objects and Worry With Mother from Olivia Guest of Jonathan Clowes Ltd. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pavilion books


Ales Kot, the writer taking comic books to mindbending new dimensions

He has only been in graphic storytelling for three years, but already the Czech-born writer has produced several influential series for the biggest publishers – and his latest is set to reinvent crime noirAt 28 years old, Ales Kot is at the forefront of a new generation of writers injecting... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #graphic storytelling #biggest publishers #american comics


Irish publisher to challenge jury's libel award at European court

Independent Newspapers argues that €1.25m defamation award was disproportionate and has a ‘serious chilling effect’ on freedom of expression Ireland’s Independent Newspapers’ group is to challenge Irish defamation laws at the European Court of Human Rights, reports the Irish Times. The newspaper... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #irish publisher #european court #chilling effect #human rights #irish times


Diversity in UK Publishing Still a Challenge

The book industry remains largely white and middle class, while efforts are being made to boost socio-economic and ethnic diversity in publishing. The post Diversity in UK Publishing Still a Challenge appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #challenge appeared #ethnic diversity #post diversity #uk publishing #middle class


A TV Talk Show Appearance That Can Change an Author’s Future

Seth Meyers on Late Night, a US TV talk show, has embraced interviewing novelists and the result is often a boost in book sales following broadcast. The post A TV Talk Show Appearance That Can Change an Author’s Future appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future appeared #seth meyers #late night #book sales