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 ]
As the first National Writing Day approaches, the co-founder of the Ministry of Stories explains how creative writing can transform children’s lives. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-21 06:24:35 UTC ]
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While the recommendations still must be legislated, Canadian publishing sees light at the end of a tunnel, after years of devastating copyright losses. The post Copyright Advocates Applaud Canada’s Parliamentary Review of Modernization Act appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-05-16 21:20:13 UTC ]
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US agency ICM Partners and Curtis Brown Creative are teaming up to launch a six-month online novel-writing course. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Abi Elphinstone discusses her new Middle Grade series, inspired by the Scottish wilds of her youth. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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George R R Martin has dismissed claims that he has secretly finished the final two books in his Song of Ice and Fire series. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Craig Teicher is headed to the 'Paris Review' on May 28, when Adam Boretz will replace him as director of special editorial projects and content director at 'Publishers Weekly.' Matia Burnett succeeds Boretz as editor of BookLife. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
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This year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival will host an inaugural library conference, with speakers including Ann Cleeves and Arts Council England c.e.o. Darren Henley. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Welcome to the latest edition of Ad Age Publisher’s Brief, our roundup of news from the world of content producers across digital and print. Got a tip? Send it our way. Joining us late? Here's the previous edition. As Angela Doland notes in Ad Age’s Wake-Up Call this morning, citing a... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2019-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After Will Self lambasted creative writing courses for failing to provide their students with a living, MA Creative Writing course director Julia Bell pens her response. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Though the average writer earns £10,000 a year, mean household earnings are more than £81,000 – a result bestselling author Kit de Waal calls problematicWriting is in danger of becoming an elitist profession, with many authors being subsidised by their partners or a second job in order to stay... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2019-05-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Head of Zeus has snapped up a "page-turning" new urban fantasy-crime trilogy by writing duo D.K. Fields. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lissa Carlino's book sets out to teach readers a lesson - a risky move in literature. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2019-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Will Self has declared literature to be "morphing into a giant quilting exercise", suggesting that no current creative writing graduates will make a living from literary fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Vanessa Onwuemezi has won this year’s £2,500 White Review Short Story Prize for her tale "At the Heart of Things". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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REVIEWS: David Cohen explores his famous namesake, Leonard, in Book of Cohen. Plus Nicky Pellegrino's latest. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2019-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The chief presenter of BBC Newsnight vividly chronicles the pains and perils of news televisionEmily Maitlis’s book isn’t an autobiography. By the end we are none the wiser about what she was like as a child, her personal relationships or the pivotal moments that led to her becoming arguably the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2019-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The White Review Short Story Prize has unveiled its shortlist following a record year of 570 submissions. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard Charkin looks back at his four decades with the UK's Publishers Association and the many book publishing issues the PA dealt with. The post Richard Charkin: Reflections on Publishing Association Work appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors are being told to write under pseudonyms to present themselves as debut writers and feed the publishing industry’s “obsession” with new, marketable voices, Joanne Harris has said. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Prolific author T.C. Boyle paid a visit to the Times studio at the Festival of books to discuss his 28th book, “Outside Looking In.” The recently released novel, which plays off his 2003 book “Drop City,” takes place on Harvard’s campus in the early 1960s and follows the “beginnings of LSD.”... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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