Friday Links: The Plague Edition

I opened Twitter this morning to a post that included a photo of Daniel Defoe’s A Journal of the Plague Year. In the midst of concerns about COVID-19, we turn to eighteenth-century fiction. Or maybe it’s just a reflection of who’s on my Twitter feed. Bookish people like books. Even when the news threatens us with a pandemic.

I’m not making light of the concerns about coronavirus. I find it just as alarming as everyone else. But it’s also depressing to hear about the cancelation of the London Book Fair, and to get emails about vendors supplying employees with laptops so they can work remotely. Friends are backing out of plans to avoid public transportation. Companies are suspending work-related travel.

You’ve all heard the advice. Wash your hands well and often, don’t touch your face, etc. But I’m here to offer up some ideas to keep you entertained while you’re avoiding that crowded movie theater or your local happy hour this weekend. Because staying home means more time to write, and to read. (You knew that’s what I was going to say, right?)

I’ve got some terrific lists of books to check out, plus some general writing advice and industry gossip this week. So plump up the sofa cushions, grab your laptop or e-reader, and enjoy. Happy writing!

This Week’s Links:

20 New Books to Read in March. – A ton of wonderful-sounding titles hitting shelves this month, so check a few of these out.

8 YA Sci-Fi and Fantasy Novels to Pick Up This March. – More fun reads, specifically for fans of YA SFF.

Top 10 Writing and Grammar Mistakes that Even Published Writers Make. – Excellent list of things to check for when you do that last pass on your manuscript.

Aaron Sorkin on How He Would Write the Democratic Primary for ‘The West Wing.’ – Less about politics and more about Sorkin’s approach to writing in general. There’s a particularly interesting bit on what interests him in terms of writing conflict.

Are Novelist Obliged to Tell the Story of Their Private Life? – Interesting read in the age of #MeToo and #OwnVoices.

52 Books for 52 Places. – Intended as a tie-in for the NYT article on places to travel, it’s also a great list for some armchair traveling if you don’t want to leave the house.

10-1/2 Commandments of Writing. – A good refresher of some basic things to keep in mind while you’re hermitting away with your work-in-progress.

When Did Reading Books Become So Competitive? – A look at the age of reading challenges and bookish social media.

Announcing the 2020 Women’s Prize Longlist. – The 16 books that made the long list for this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Friday Links: The Leap Year Edition

This week’s Friday Links decided to leap over to Saturday, courtesy of my insane schedule. I considered skipping the post entirely, but I missed last week and guilty feelings won out. No great unifying theme, however. Just a bunch of things I’ve come across and found interesting, informative, and/or entertaining.

Is anyone doing something special with the extra day this year? I love the idea of considering February 29th a bonus day–one you get to spend at will. I’m devoting my day to a project that I’ve been trying to squeeze into my regular calendar for way too long. Fingers crossed I can make some huge progress.

Wishing you a wonderful Leap Day, whatever you choose to do. Enjoy!

This Week’s Links:

Wired’s 13 Must-Read Books for Spring. – Some fun titles to consider adding to your TBR.

The New Wave of Fantasy: How Millennial Authors Are Transforming the Genre. – A quick round table with four prominent young fantasy writers.

The Man Responsible for Cut/Copy/Paste Has Died. – A brief acknowledgement for the passing of Larry Tesler, who made the lives of many writers easier.

Author’s Guild Releases Grim 5-Page Report on “The Profession of the Author in the 21st Century.” – Not great news, but really, it’s never been great news.

A Library Story. They Say Everyone Has One. – A lovely, uplifting read about the good libraries do.

Open Access Image Libraries: A Handy List. – A helpful roundup of the libraries currently making collections of images available for open use through their websites.

Confessions of a Hate Reader, or Bad Writing Habits I Picked Up from Bad Criticism. – Takes a look at the difficulties of creating with a laundry list of “shouldn’t”s in one’s brain.

 

Friday Links: Happy Valentine’s Day Edition

Valentine’s Day puts me in a quandry. In my heart I consider it a retail holiday, designed to sell chocolates, flowers, cards, and fancy dinners. But I also represent quite a few romance writers, and I love a good love story. So there you have it. Whichever way your belief system lands, wishing you a lovely day. And hopefully some good chocolate and an even better book.

In light of the holiday, I did find some suitably romantic links. And a bunch of other stuff, too, for those of you frowning at me. I think it’s a good roundup with something for everyone, so I hope you get inspired to write something great. If you’re more in the mood to curl up with a good read this weekend, I’ve got you covered, as well.

Happy writing, happy reading, and a very happy Valentine’s Day to all. Enjoy!

This Week’s Links:

Celebrating Valentines with Our Favorite SFF Ships. – The folks at Tor/Forge share a few romances from SFF land.

17 Books that Will Make You Believe in Love. – BuzzFeed has you covered.

23 YA Romance Novels that Are Better than a Candlelit Dinner. – BuzzFeed again, but for the young adult crowd (and those who like to read about them).

Quiz: Find the Perfect Shakespeare Quote for Your Valentine. – What it says on the box. Fun for those of you who like to handwrite your cards.

Voices of Change. – A talk with authors Tomi Adeyemi, Akwaeke Emezi, Elizabeth Acevedo, Angie Thomas, and Nic Stone about the (slowly) diversifying landscape of young adult fiction.

RWA 2020: No Ending in Sight, Just Hollow Women. – A thorough update from the folks at Smart Bitches about the mess at Romance Writers of America.

Season of the Witch: The Rise of Queer Magic in YA SFF. – A look at how more diverse young adult fiction is queer without relying on coming-stories, particularly in the SFF realm.

How Obama’s Reading Shaped His Writing. – A bookseller looks at President Obama’s relationship to bookstores and writing.

Shelf Life: Anne Enright on the Five Books that Made Her. – The Booker Prize-winning author talks about the books she believes helped make her a writer.

Friday Links: Writers On Writing (and Reading)

I sifted through the links I discovered this week and found many focused on writers discussing writing. Normally, I need to hunt for these sorts of links to share. They appear mostly on niche sites. This week, for whatever reason (and I could speculate), the world is discussing narrative. Points of view. Truth versus fiction. Who should have a voice. I love that so many writers have joined in, whether to tell personal stories or to share a wider perspective. Regardless, I’m pleased to pass along these interesting stories, as each offers up some wonderful food for thought to take back to your own efforts.

Next weekend I’m heading off to Utah to teach at the Futurescapes Workshop. In case you missed it, I posted yesterday about how to attend my masterclass there if you’re in the neighborhood.

This weekend, however, I’m nose down in a client manuscript, plus a pile of submissions. I’ve closed the query box temporarily, because I was a bit behind from the holidays and then more than 400 of you queried me in January. That’s not even counting partials/manuscripts I’m trying to get through, so I’ve shut the gates. I plan to reopen on the 21st, once I’m back from the workshop and a bit caught up.

In the meantime, wishing you all a wonderful weekend, filled with good reads and some productive writing time. Enjoy!

This Week’s Links:

How to Write Fiction When the Planet Is Falling Apart. – Author Jenny Offill discusses her new novel, which addresses climate change.

Screenwriter and Novelist, Turned YA Author, Christopher J. Moore: Author Spotlight. – An interview with the talented, versatile writer.

Women Writers Are Driving Philadelphia’s Literary Renaissance. – An interesting look at the group of authors leading the recent surge of notable books from the Philadelphia area.

A Year in the Life: 2019. – Author Roxane Gay shares her annual roundup of books she’s read and things she’s written in the past year.

I Don’t Want to Be the Strong Female Lead. – Filmmaker Brit Marling talks about the difference between male- and female-centric stories, and what gets lost when women replace men at the head of a traditional quest narrative.

The Secret Feminist History of Shakespeare and Company. – A look at the life of Sylvia Beach, original owner and driving force behind the bookstore. I’m not sure how much of a secret it all is, but it’s definitely interesting.

The Great Vision of Houston’s Arte Público Press. – A brief history of the publisher’s efforts to bring Hispanic authors ignored by mainstream presses out into the public’s eye.

Friday Links: Thoughts for a Reading Weekend

Last weekend I indulged in some reading time. Normally it would have been the weekend of the 24 in 48 Readathon, which I adore, but the ladies who run the event were taking some much needed time off, so I went solo. This meant no social media posts accounting for my reading progress, or even really keeping track of time read. But it was nice to settle in with a couple of titles that had nothing to do with work. I miss actually relaxing over a book somedays.

This weekend, I’m back in work mode, which means settling down with a stack of manuscripts. But that doesn’t mean you all can’t go read something purely entertaining, and so I plan to live vicariously. Anyone in the middle of a fabulous read? I’d love to hear what’s pushing your buttons at the moment.

As a result, today’s offerings fall more in the reading recommendations category than anything else. But they fit my mood, and I hope you find something interesting and/or inspiring in the lot. Happy reading, and have a wonderful weekend!

This Week’s Links:

The Books All Jane Austen Superfans Should Read. – A fun list combining old and new, fiction and nonfiction. I’ve missed a couple of these and look forward to checking them out.

Imaginary Bookshop. – A new-to-me storefront offering fun combinations of themed gifts and curated titles, with a quarterly subscription on offer.

10 Outstanding Short Stories to Read in 2020. – Sometimes a short read is just what you need (or have time for).

High School Transforms Hallways into Iconic Book Covers. – I love how clever and inspiring this art work is.

J.M. Barrie’s Handwritten Manuscript of Peter Pan. – A peek at the original of this classic story.

Jo Walton’s Reading List: December 2019. – The author shares her thoughts about various of her end-of-year reads.

11 Indie Literary Magazines You Should Be Reading. – A nice assortment for anyone looking to mix up their reading list.

Friday Links: Building a Career as a Writer

I tend to focus on the early days of becoming a writer, for obvious reasons. How to develop craft, how to query, whether you should go to conferences, etc. But today I’m stepping back a bit and considering the bigger picture. I don’t mean you should put the cart before the horse if you’re in the early stages of writing. Those initial steps are foundational and deserve your attention. But everyone daydreams about “someday,” and plenty of writers are further along in their process. So a number of today’s links consider what it means to build a career as a writer.

I’ve mixed a few odds and ends in, as well, so there’s something for everyone. I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and set aside some time to write or to curl up with a great read. Enjoy!

This Week’s Links:

Overcoming Writing Anxiety. – Different from writer’s block, this can hit at any stage of your career. Some good ideas here on how to combat the problem.

If You’re Looking to Write More in 2020, Rebecca Makkai Has Your Strangely Specific Prompts. – Pretty much what it sounds like. Author Rebecca Makkai is Tweeting daily prompts this year under the hashtag #366prompts. (We get an extra because it’s a leap year.)

Writing Excuses: Evolution of a Career. – The first episode of this season of the Writing Excuses podcast focuses on how writing careers evolve and all sorts of important questions that you might associate with that topic.

How and When Should a Writer Use a Pen Name or Pseudonym? – Some of the reasons why a writer might wish to write under a different or an additional name.

How Edith Wharton’s Novel of New York High Society Speaks to Class Divisions Today. – Author Jennifer Egan discusses The House of Mirth and the ways in which it still resonates.

“Why would I close the door to a queer person?” LGBTQ Fantasy Comes of Age. – A look at the crop of new fantasy novels that feature more gender-diverse casts.

Friday Links: The Ups and Downs of Publishing Culture

Publishing appears to be in the middle of a cultural revolution. It makes sense. As goes the world, so go the books it produces. The Romance Writers of America are in the midst of a clash between the old, stodgy, racist past, and what we hope will be a bright, brilliant, diverse future. The fact is, there’s room for everyone at the table.

In light of all the strife going on–not just in publishing circles–I’m offering up links that highlight a variety of reading material, and the varied people producing them. I hope they inspire you to try something new, and to be accepting of other people’s culture and history. Part of what I love about what I do is how different my job can be every single day. That’s the beauty of books; there’s always something fresh to discover.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Happy writing!

This Week’s Links:

WTF, RWA. – Another great history of the events surrounding the Courtney Milan banning and the insanity at Romance Writers of America.

Has African Migration to the U.S. Led to a Literary Renaissance? – A wonderful look at some of the African writers now living and working in the U.S.

Ursula K. LeGuin’s Revolutions. – Addressing the author’s work from not just a political perspective, but with an eye on how she envisioned the future.

The Sound and the Story: Exploring the World of Paradise Lost. – Philip Pullman writes about the epic work and how it influenced his own writing.

Most Anticipated: The Great First-Half 2020 Book Preview. – The Millions takes their annual look at the most anticipated titles due out in the first half of the year. A hugely diverse assortment.

10 Collections from Latinx Poets You Might Have Missed in 2019. – I’m always on the lookout for new poetry because poems fit so easily into my hectic reading schedule and give me a wonderful break. A nice assortment here to check out.

Writing Characters of Different Races and Ethnicities. – A great resource. I probably linked to it previously, but it’s worth another mention.

Book Releases: LGBT YA Books of January-June, 2020. – Pretty much as described. A terrific roundup of upcoming titles.

Friday Links 2020: Kicking Off the New Year

Welcome to the first Friday Links for the new year! I’m still in vacation mode, so this week’s mostly a collection of book recs and some bookish culture, and one unfortunate mess. Plenty of time for more meaty content starting next week.

I hope you’re all enjoying the start of 2020, and that you’ve planned out some great reading and writing goals. I’ve put together a pretty ambitious to-do list, and I look forward to getting things going. More details as the year progresses. But it’s good to have positive things to focus on, especially when the world around us continues to resemble a dumpster fire. Time to create a wonderful new year with each new day.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend and an energetic, productive January. Happy writing!

This Week’s Links:

The Disappearance of John M. Ford. – An interesting look at the history of a once-popular science fiction author who fell into obscurity.

The Lives They Lived: Remembering Some of the Artists, Innovators, and Thinkers We Lost in the Past Year. – Obviously a mix of writers and other well-known individuals, but notable for the fact that it’s probably the only time you’ll find Harold Bloom, Toni Morrison, and Judith Krantz discussed on the same page.

The Romance Writers of America Racism Row Matters Because the Gatekeepers Are Watching. – One small piece of a huge, unfolding puzzle that officially exploded over the holidays. More on this separately once I’ve had a chance to actually assemble my thoughts into something coherent.

20 Books We’re Watching for in 2020. – A brief list but there are some excellent sounding titles here. Starting filling up that new year’s TBR list.

56 Books by Women and Nonbinary Writers of Color to Read in 2020. – Another great list of upcoming works to be on the lookout for.

2020 Preview: What Our Fiction Editor Will Be Reading This Year. – One last bunch of suggestions for your TBR list, this time from Kirkus Reviews.

Friday Links: The Edge of Vacation Edition

I’m about to hang up my out-of-office shingle for the holidays, so I’m sneaking these links in under the wire. As with last week, they don’t follow much of a pattern. They’re just things I’ve stumbled across and wanted to share with you all. I hope they inspire a bit of writing, some great reading, and maybe a little literary wanderlust. Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Don’t forget to get your words in!

This Week’s Links:

Our Favorite 50 Books of the Year. – Courtesy of LitHub. Because apparently I’m still a sucker for another bookish “best of” list.

History and SFF: Historical Sources and N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy. – A look at how history can serve fiction when it comes to world building.

36 Hours in King’s Cross London. – A peek at the area around the famous train station, for Harry Potter fans, Anglophiles, and armchair travelers of all sorts.

Walking through the House Where Louisa May Alcott Wrote Little Women. – More March-family madness in anticipation of the release of the latest film version of the classic story.

Books off the Beaten Path: 15 Small Press Reads If You Want Something Different. – Pretty much what it says on the label. A nice cross section of titles from a some smaller publishers.

Friday Links: The Completely Random, Tired-Agent Edition

Welcome to this week’s unapologetically theme-free Friday Links. Work and holiday prep beckon, and my brain refuses to conjure up a creative topic for these babies. Yes, they’re all bookish. Or writing related. But otherwise, they’re just things I stumbled across this week, or recently, and found fun or useful. Themes will return when I’m no longer falling asleep at my desk, likely in the new year.

The December Writing Challenge keeps on trucking. Are you writing every day? Is the challenge proving hard? Or are you setting your schedule and sticking to it? Remember, even a short writing sprint counts. You can do this!

And on that note, I’m off to do a million things before the weekend can start. Have a great one, and happy writing!

This Week’s Links:

The Best Overlooked Books of 2019. – 10 titles Vulture thought got too little press.

Little Women Is a Big, Important, American Masterpiece. Let’s Treat It Like One. – A.N. Devers looks at the history of the novel and its adaptations as we wait for the eighth film version to hit theaters.

How to Spend a Literary Long Weekend in Chicago. – A fun itinerary for bookish visitors to the Windy City. Keep in mind for your next trip!

At a Romance Cover Shoot, There’s No Such Thing as Too Much Wind Machine. – A terrific and wildly amusing look behind the scenes of a recent cover shoot for Milla Vane‘s A TOUCH OF STONE AND SNOW (A Gathering of Dragons, book 2: July 2020).

By the Book: Edelweiss, Edelweiss? Julie Andrews Loves Reading about 18th-Century Plant Hunters. – The actress and author talks about her relationship to reading, books she’s loved, and what’s on her current TBR stack.

Mistakes Writers Make When Submitting to Literary Magazines. – An older post (one I’ve likely linked to previously) with excellent advice, much of which carries over to submitting to agents.