The first-person essays boom: top editors on why confessional writing matters

A Slate piece on first-person writing has prompted debate in the digital media community. We asked editors at BuzzFeed, Jezebel and other leading sites to weigh in on the importance of such pieces – and why there is a gender divideOn Monday, Laura Bennett’s Slate piece on the boom of first-person essay writing sparked a fierce online debate between editors and writers: how can one best work between the vulnerability of a writer and the traffic goal of an editor? What’s the line between publishing someone’s personal experience and exploitation?In response to Bennett’s piece, we asked senior editors at several publications known for publishing first-person stories about what they value in them, how they look after their writers, and why it is that so many confessional stories seem to be written by women, and not men.This route to publication and a book/movie deal simply is not open for non-white womenAnd now Pollitt’s up at bat. Her three previous essay collections gathered brilliant commentary on welfare, abortion, surrogate motherhood, Iraq, gay marriage and health care, mostly from the pages of The Nation. But with “Learning to Drive,” she gets personal, and shameless. She has decided to wave her dirty laundry (among which she found unidentified striped panties) and confesses to “Webstalking” her longtime, live-in, womanizing former boyfriend. (Take that, you rat!) It’s hard to tell if she’s coming into her own, trying to sell more books or has lost it entirely. Or... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #gay marriage #health care #dirty laundry #ve heard

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Here are the songs Bob Dylan is writing about in his forthcoming book on “modern song.”

As some of you may already know (and sure, some of you may not care) Bob Dylan is publishing a book this November about his “philosophy of modern song” called… The Philosophy of Modern Song. If you are among those who do care (like me) the table of contents of the Nobel laureate’s foray into […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-26 15:37:43 UTC ]
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Coding and Creative Writing Have More in Common Than You Think

While other future novelists were discussing iambic pentameter and leitmotifs, Gina Chen immersed herself in computer science. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-08-25 09:00:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #creative writing #computer science #novelists


YouTube’s Nerdwriter, Evan Puschak, takes his essays to the page

A pioneer of the “video essay” format, Evan Puschak's YouTube videos, in which he critiques fine art, film, literature and more, have over 223 million views. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-08-23 13:00:29 UTC ]
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Chateaubriand on Writing Memoir between Two Societies

“It was an ‘I‘ of early days long gone who lived in these places, and that ‘I’ has already succumbed, for our days die before us.” Continue reading at The Paris Review

[ The Paris Review | 2022-08-22 15:42:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #writing memoir #memoir


A reporter probes a powerful university — and fights with his editors

Paul Pringle's work exposed serious abuses at the University of Southern California, but the dispute with his former co-workers may overshadow his book. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-08-19 10:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #southern california


Op-Ed: How an antitrust trial could reshape the books we read — and who writes them

The proposed merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster could lead to fewer voices — including marginalized voices — being published. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-08-18 10:09:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #antitrust trial #proposed merger #simon schuster #penguin random house


Lucy Sante on Writing with the Back Brain

The following first appeared in Lit Hub’s The Craft of Writing newsletter—sign up here. At a literary festival a few years ago, during question time after a panel discussion, an audience member told me, “You’re one of those intuitive writers,” stepping hard on the adjective. Aren’t we all... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-12 08:52:32 UTC ]
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HC Sales Topped $2 Billion in Fiscal 2022

Sales rose 10% at HarperCollins, to $2.19 billion, in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, but higher costs limited the increase in profits to 1%. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-08-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Augusten Burroughs wants to help you process your trauma through writing (for $50,000).

If you have unprocessed trauma, $50,000, and a sense of adventure when it comes to your mental health, a new “wellness recovery program” created by Augusten Burroughs—author of the best-selling memoir Running With Scissors—may be right up your alley. The week-long program, called Focus-Directed... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-08 14:41:32 UTC ]
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Writing Intimate Truths and Why Memoir Is a Force That’s Changing the Culture

Write-minded: Weekly Inspiration for Writers is currently in its fourth year. We are a weekly podcast for writers craving a unique blend of inspiration and real talk about the ups and downs of the writing life. Hosted by Brooke Warner of She Writes and Grant Faulkner of National Novel Writing... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-01 08:51:12 UTC ]
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Gilbert Cruz Named New York Times Books Editor

Mr. Cruz has been the Culture editor at The Times since January 2018, leading coverage of arts and culture. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-07-28 22:22:00 UTC ]
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Meet the Editor: Valerie Weaver-Zercher

An acquiring editor at Broadleaf Books hunts for diverse writers who take on 'the urgent issues of our day.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Returning to In-Person Book Fairs Cited in Scholastic’s Q4 Report

The largest children's book and educational publisher sees continued growth in its own school-based book fairs, and revenue-per-fair. The post Returning to In-Person Book Fairs Cited in Scholastic’s Q4 Report appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-07-22 00:30:36 UTC ]
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“I Did Not Get Anywhere Until I Became a True Literary Citizen.” Courtney Maum on Making a Writing Career

I remember the first time I met Courtney Maum. It was nearly ten years ago, a spring or maybe summer day in Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens. We were both in our twenties, no books published yet, just a few free essays here and there, just starting our writing careers with the fierce intensity of Jack... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-18 08:52:29 UTC ]
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What made Harvey Weinstein a monster? Does it matter?

Ken Auletta widens the lens on the sordid tale and inadvertently humanizes its villain. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-07-15 12:00:17 UTC ]
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June Religion Bestsellers: Sarah Young Tops; ‘The Stranger' Returns

Sarah Young’s ‘Jesus Calling,’ which just surpassed 40 million copies sold since its publication 18 years ago, takes #1 on the Religion Nonfiction Bestsellers list after having a banner month; Mitch Albom returns to #1 in Religion Fiction with ‘The Stranger in the Lifeboat.’ Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Morning Brew Tops $36 Million First-Half Revenue and Launches Its 10th Newsletter

The business news publisher Morning Brew, an Axel Springer property, launched its 10th newsletter Monday morning, a product called CFO Brew that aims to reach readers in strategic and corporate finance. The publisher has grown rapidly since selling a majority stake to Insider in October 2020... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2022-07-12 10:01:54 UTC ]
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Is the Book Sales Boom Finally Over?

After two straight years of solid growth, print book sales fell 6.6% in the first half of 2022. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Erika L. Sánchez Wishes More Authors Would Write About Money

“I grew up working class and money was a factor in everything we did,” says the poet and novelist, whose new book is the memoir “Crying in the Bathroom.” “That’s why I always write about the financial realities of my characters.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-07-07 09:00:11 UTC ]
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‘The Crane Wife’ essay hit a nerve. A new book reminds us why.

C. J. Hauser’s memoir-in-essays is a frank exploration of intimacy and romance that doesn’t always lead to a happily ever after. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-07-05 13:21:38 UTC ]
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