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"

Is It Okay If I Don’t Care About Making Money from Writing?

The Blunt Instrument is an advice column for writers. If you need tough advice for a writing problem, send your question to [email protected]. For early access to Blunt Instrument columns, plus a special subscriber-only edition every other month, become a supporter of Electric... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2019-07-30 11:00:37 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #young writer #question toblunt@electricliterature #electric literature #early access #tough advice #advice column #blunt instrumentis #making money #writing problem

Hodder and Serial Box to publish thriller by Hannah's female crime-writing team

Hodder & Stoughton has joined forces with digital platform Serial Box to publish an original psychological thriller by a team of women crime writers helmed and hand-picked by Sophie Hannah. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-29 06:07:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #hodder #joined forces #serial box #sophie hannah #hodder stoughton

She Grew Up in a House Without Books. A Teacher Helped Her Realize She Could Write One Herself.

At the end of her sophomore year in college, Mary Beth Keane’s writing teacher gave her a summer reading list that changed her life. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2019-07-26 09:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #sophomore year

UK’s National Centre for Writing Turns to Eco-Crime for ‘Noirwich’ Fest

Part of the programming for the 'Noirwich' literary festival at Norwich is a focus on 'crimes against nature' and our stewardship of the environment. The post UK’s National Centre for Writing Turns to Eco-Crime for ‘Noirwich’ Fest appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-07-26 05:30:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #literary festival #national centre #post uk

A romance novelist struggled with Asperger’s. Now she writes about love on the spectrum.

Helen Hoang has published two hits, “The Kiss Quotient” and “The Bride Test,” with more on the way. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-07-19 14:08:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #helen hoang

Ireland's new writing talent: Naoise Dolan and Molly Aitken

Dublin-born Naoise Dolan and fellow Irish author Molly Aitken are among the most hotly tipped début authors for 2020; here they discuss the inspiration behind their first novels. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-18 23:44:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #irish author #naoise dolan #writing talent

Women Writing Taiwan, by Amy Lantrip

Book Reviews Amy Lantrip Photo by Ethan Chiang / Flickr Contemporary Taiwanese Women Writers: An Anthology (Cambria Press, 2018) is a collection of short stories in translation featuring contemporary Taiwanese authors.[i] This compilation is diverse... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2019-07-18 14:13:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #anthology #short stories #significant contribution #daily news

Dystopian authors reflect on our dystopian border

“We write dystopian stories to be cautionary tales, not instruction manuals,” says Neal Shusterman. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-07-14 18:14:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #cautionary tales

Charles Simic reflects on what set James Tate’s late poetry apart

Tate’s final posthumous collection, “The Government Lake,” is full of delightful absurdity. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-07-12 16:09:29 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

How American music became both a reflection and an instrument of social change

Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw’s “Songs of America” looks at music’s role in our nation’s history. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-07-10 13:53:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #jon meacham #social change #american music

Lisa Taddeo wanted to write about female desire. It set her on an eight-year odyssey.

The author reflects on “Three Women,” which was the result of countless interviews and a cross-country drive in an RV. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-07-03 12:54:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #female desire

Jhumpa Lahiri and Hari Kunzru Reflect on America’s Immigration Crisis

As America marks this July 4th holiday, an outcry on immigration is leading to national headlines, including from a congressional delegation that visited an immigration detention center in El Paso, Texas, this week. PEN America has gathered a series of statements from a number of writers and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-07-03 08:48:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #literary community #el paso #jhumpa lahiri #pen america #immigration crisis

Jane Smiley reviews a novel so intimate and familiar it’s almost as though you’re eavesdropping

Claire Lombardo’s “The Most Fun We Ever Had” is a sweeping, believable family drama. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-07-01 12:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

PFD's Agora Books launches writing community and prize

Peters Fraser + Dunlop e-book imprint Agora Books has launched a prize to celebrate its new writers’ group, Lost the Plot, which offers "no-nonsense advice, industry insight, and community connection". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-06-26 18:08:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #community connection #no-nonsense advice

PRH ceases publication of Baños title, following antisemitism review

Penguin Random House UK has ceased publication of Pedro Baños’ How They Rule the World: The 22 Secret Strategies of Global Power (Ebury) after an external review investigating allegations of antisemitism found the publisher should "have asked more questions and conducted deeper due diligence to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-06-26 02:11:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #penguin random house #ceased publication

New L.A. book fair LitLit comes to Hauser & Wirth presented by L.A. Review of Books

Book lovers! Sign up for the new L.A. Times Book Club for upcoming author events » The Los Angeles Review of Books and Hauser & Wirth Publishers are bringing a brand-new book fair to Los Angeles next month. LitLit, the Little Literary Fair, will premiere July 20 and 21 at Hauser &... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-06-25 17:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #book fair #book lover #times book #literary fair #book lovers

‘The Last Love Poem I Will Ever Write’ and other best poetry of the month

New collections of works by Gregory Orr, Tess Gallagher, Jim Harrison and Drew Pisarra. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-06-24 22:30:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Looking Back, Moving Forward: ReShonda Tate Billingsley Reflects on Her 50 Novels

As she celebrates a series of career milestones—which coincide with the 20th anniversary of her publisher, Dafina Books—the author starts a new chapter by revisiting classic characters in the long-awaited sequel to her first novel, My Brother’s Keeper. (Sponsored) Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-06-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #first novel #long-awaited sequel #20th anniversary #moving forward

Ask the Editor: How to Write a Dynamite First Sentence

Editor Betty Kelly Sargent answers writing questions submitted by readers. This month, she takes a look at memorable first sentences. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-06-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |