Writing a First Novel: Reflections on the Journey – review

Karen Stevens's collection of essays offers practical advice and inspiration for those embarking on the long, lonely journey of writing a novelAccording to Karen Stevens, "writing a novel is the longest and loneliest journey a writer can embark upon". Her collection of essays by established and new writers splits that journey into four stages: inspiration, research, voice and form. There is also practical advice from a literary agent and an editor who notes honestly that "chance does play a part" in getting published. Lionel Shriver is equally frank about what comes after the acceptance of your first novel: "struggle and disappointment". Although Hanif Kureishi candidly admits, in an excellent piece from 2002, that "most writers do not entirely understand what they are doing", these essays are both perceptive and inspiring. Alison MacLeod writes beautifully on the voice of a novel: "It is the unknown quantity every novel needs." Kishwar Desai admits to being driven by "the demons of insecurity" to over-research, and Jane Feaver, writing about form, advises authors to develop "an alertness to the collective materiality of words". But all agree with Wena Poon: the process of writing a novel is a "strange and wondrous journey".PublishingPaperbacksEssaysPD Smiththeguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Writing a First Novel: Reflections on the Journey – review"

Rachel Vorona Cote: How Much is Too Much in Writing?

This week on The Maris Review, Rachel Vorona Cote joins Maris Kreizman for a special live interview at the Strand Bookstore to discuss her new book, Too Much: How Victorian Constraints Still Bind Women Today, out now from Grand Central. How much do you give of yourself in nonfiction: Maris... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-03-05 09:48:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bookstore #maris kreizman #grand central #strand bookstore #maris review

Pullman and Morris join New Welsh Review crowdfunder

Philip Pullman and Jackie Morris have donated to a £14,000 crowdfunding campaign for the New Welsh Review after the literary magazine saw its funding slashed by 20% last year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-03 23:24:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #literary magazine #funding slashed #jackie morris #philip pullman

Tennessee Becomes Second State to Propose ‘Parental Review Boards’ for Public Libraries

The bills propose to give elected parental review boards the power to decide which “age-appropriate" materials can be accessible to minors within a public library, with librarians who don’t comply with the board’s decisions subject to prison time. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-02-28 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #public library #public libraries

Paul Theroux wins top prize at Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards

Paul Theroux has received this year’s top prize at the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards, winning the Outstanding Contribution to Travel Writing Award. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-26 00:09:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Morris threatened with legal action over Cilka's Journey

Heather Morris, the author of bestselling title The Tattooist of Auschwitz, has been threatened with legal action in the US by the stepson of Cecilia Kovachova around whom her second novel is thought to be based. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-24 05:51:43 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #heather morris #legal action

Martin Edwards wins 2020 Diamond Dagger award for crime writing

Martin Edwards has won the 2020 Diamond Dagger award for writers of “sustained excellence making significant contributions to crime writing”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-23 13:21:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #martin edwards #crime writing

Book review: Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener

This amusing memoir feels like a Silicon Valley version of The Devil Wears Prada. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2020-02-21 16:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir

In ‘Counterpoint,’ a memoirist reflects on love, loss and Bach

Washington Post art and architecture critic Philip Kennicott looks back at his decision to learn the Goldberg Variations. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-02-18 13:28:22 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

So many languages, so few books: Libraries struggle to reflect places they serve

Libraries across Southern California are aiming to serve the immigrant readers of rapidly changing cities by purchasing books in a variety of languages. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-02-17 13:00:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #libraries

Review: Anna Burns' second novel on the Irish Troubles ... and our own

A pitch-dark comedy on the wages of violence from the Man Booker Prize-winning author of "Milkman" Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-02-15 15:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #prize-winning author #anna burns

London Review of Books circulation up by 3.6%

The London Review of Books saw its circulation increase by 3.6% in 2019, marking its 20th year of consecutive growth. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-14 06:40:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #20th year #thelondon review #london review

A brief (and inadequate) introduction to the writing and writers of Shetland

Shetland literature has a short history. Or, more accurately, the long history of Shetland literature has been truncated — the result of a double disadvantage, as far as official histories are concerned: an oral culture, in which few people could read or write, and a language that died out... Continue reading at British Council global

[ British Council global | 2020-02-13 12:54:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #teenage years #prestigious prize #jen hadfield

Review: Chasing homers, ballplayers and dreams

Emily Nemens' debut novel about a fictional baseball team takes on the social swirl of spring training. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-02-02 15:00:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #debut novel #emily nemens

In his memoir, Will Self takes his penchant for erratic journeys to the extreme

“Will” revisits, in the third person, the “Umbrella” author’s struggles with addiction. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-01-29 19:14:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Review: 'Children of the Land' chronicles an immigrant poet's story of hiding in plain sight

In his memoir 'Children of the Land,' poet Marcelo Hernandez Castillo writes of border journeys, family separation and crossing a 'threshold of invisibility.' Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-01-29 15:00:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #family separation #plain sight

Everyone Can Be a Book Reviewer. Should They Be?

“Anyone can be a critic.” It’s a common lament these days now that the book review landscape is changing. English professors and book reviewers in newspapers aren’t the only tastemakers in literary criticism anymore: Goodreads community members, anonymous or top reviewers on Amazon, and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-01-23 09:48:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #book review #book reviewers #book reviewer

Amanda Yates Garcia on Writing to Find Her True Self

Amanda Yates Garcia is the guest. Her new memoir, Initiated: Memoir of a Witch, is available from Grand Central Publishing. Garcia is a writer, artist, professional witch, and the Oracle of Los Angeles. Her work has been featured in The Millions, The Los Angeles Times, Time Out, LA Weekly, GOOP,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-01-15 09:47:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir

'Uncanny Valley' and the Meaninglessness of Writing About Tech

Anna Wiener's memoir about her four-plus years working in startups never resolves the self-contradictions of her industry, city, or existence. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2020-01-13 23:50:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #years working #anna wiener #uncanny valley

Writing a Dynamic Duo: Spotlight on Peter Riva

Peter Riva’s Mbuno & Pero series continues to deliver intrigue, action, and camaraderie on the African continent. (Sponsored) Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-01-13 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #african continent