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 ]
The National Centre for Writing launches this week in Norwich following a £2m regeneration of historic Dragon Hall. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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According to the annual VIDA Count, which analyzes gender parity at literary magazines, only 23.3% of pieces published in the 'New York Review of Books' last year were written by women, while representation at the 'Paris Review' crept up by 8 percentage points in the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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I was astonished to find that I have read 46 of David Hill's books (plus 14 short stories and four poems); I have even heard his words read at a funeral. Yet none of these brought me more pleasure than his latest novel. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2018-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon has come under fire for removing reviews from its online book listings, with some customers having had all their reviews removed or being blocked from posting further reviews. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In their search for material, producers are forging new relationships with online platforms. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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#online platforms
Harvill Secker is launching a competition in partnership with Bloody Scotland to find a debut crime writer from a BAME (black, Asian, minority ethnic) background. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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#bame black
The oral tradition has been a part of the human condition for as long as we have been communicating. If you lost your audience after the first hour of “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” you could forget about a return engagement. Authors now sit in comfy studios and need not memorize their stories. But can... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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#human condition
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An anthology of work by students on the University of Warwick's MA in Writing programme is to be launched next week, after students crowd-funded the £5,000 needed to publish the title. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Three poetry editors at 'The Boston Review' announced their intent to resign on Tuesday, citing disagreements with the magazine’s executive editors over their decision to retain Junot Díaz as fiction editor. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Bodley Head has signed a book that exposes the "bias, hype, incompetence and fraud" in the peer-reviewed world by Dr Stuart Ritchie following a four-way auction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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At BookExpo, actor turned writer Chris Colfer spoke with 'NYTBR' editor Pamela Paul about the paperback release of the sixth and final book in his bestselling The Land of Stories series. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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English PEN has revealed it is embarking on a review of its policies after being accused of a potential conflict of interest with one of its board members. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After a confusing opening day at the trade show, publishers and booksellers settled into discussing industry issues and getting ready for the fall season. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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#fall season
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The lack of information regarding pre-publication review policies at various government agencies raises First Amendment questions, the plaintiffs say. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education's chief executive explains why it is launching the UK's first survey of ethnic representation in children’s literature. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Crime author Kimberley Chambers and HarperCollins have launched a writing scholarship, the 'Kickstart Prize', in association with Peters Fraser and Dunlop Literary Agency and CrimeFest. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The third year of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers' Tehran Book Fair Uncensored program includes an anthology of writings censored in Iran but not yet published outside the country. The post ‘Tehran Book Fair Uncensored’ Adds an Anthology of Writings Forbidden in Iran... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Welcome back to IRL, our series dedicated to the things that Engadget writers play, use, watch and listen to. With 'Avengers: Infinity War' already the most popular comic book movie of all time, reviews editor Cherlynn Low takes a timely trip through... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2018-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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#infinity war
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Sandeep Parmar, co-founder of the Ledbury Emerging Poetry Critics scheme, looks at the role of reviewing in UK poetry culture today. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Review: A large comfy leather sofa, persian rug, bland painting and shelves of books make up the set of Remuera housewife Deb's life and an updated version of Roger Hall's 1999 one-woman play The Book Club, showing at Auckland's PumpHouse Theatre. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2018-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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