Roxane Gay

Friday Links: Writers On Writing (and Reading)

Nephele Tempest

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: Writing Is Rewriting

Nephele Tempest

This has been a week of distractions, with a million shiny (and not-so-shiny) things popping up at every turn to demand my attention. Not only can that make it difficult to finish whatever tasks were originally on your to-do list, but it’s exhausting. So my current plan for the weekend involves getting this post up, sending out a few emails, and then unplugging for the most part until Monday morning. At least from the internet and its constant bombardment from social media and the like. I think I have a date with the beach, a book, and a big floppy hat. And possibly print outs of a few dozen submissions.

Maybe you plan to unplug as well, but if not, here are this week’s Friday Links to keep you entertained and possibly inspire some creative time. Several of these are particularly useful if you’re in or approaching the rewrite/editing stage. Enjoy, and happy writing!

The Five Bes to Being a Better Beta Buddy – Some great tips for giving feedback to your writing critique partners.

When You’re Ready to Move from Summer Reading to Summer Writing – Some short-term writing retreats to check out on your summer vacation, or to inspire you to check out what else might be out there.

Joseph Kanon: There Is No Better Place to Write than the Library – The author shares his love for writing in the New York Public Library, and why he finds it makes the perfect office.

California Soul: A Literary Guide to SoCal Beach Towns – A list of beachy locales with a bit of an edge, straight from the pages of fiction.

The Legend of an Editor – A look inside the work practices of Robert Silver of The New York Review of Books, and the legend he left behind.

Roxane Gay Is the Hardest Working Woman in Letters – An interview with the author on the release of her new memoir, Hunger.

10 Tips for Becoming a Better Editor – Pretty much what it says on the package.

Friday Links

Nephele Tempest

Happy Friday, everyone! So what have you got planned for your weekend? I’m very much in reading mode lately, which you might have noticed from the thrust of the blog the last few weeks. Maybe it’s summer, maybe it’s just a run of good books that have reminded me how much I love reading and the places it can take you without you ever leaving the house. Regardless, there is definitely some reading time on my schedule, along with the rest of the typical weekend stuff.

If you haven’t already dropped by yesterday’s post, please do. I’d love to hear the books that set you off on a reading spree. People’s reading choices always fascinate me, plus this way you can share the books that have inspired you with anyone looking for their next great read.

However, today is Friday, which means Friday Links. I’ve got a fun collection this week, including, unsurprisingly, a whole bunch with reading recommendations. Enjoy!

14 Brilliant Pieces of Literature You Can Read in the Time it Takes to Eat Lunch – Great list, including links to where you can read the recommended pieces for free.

9 Classic Novellas by Women You Can Read in a Day – Nice assortment, with something for everyone.

16 Spelling Mistakes You Need to Stop Making — Now – Geared toward business writers, but these words show up everywhere and are commonly misused. (I see this all the time.) Handy reference.

Here Are the 15 Best Books of 2014 (So Far) – A pretty untraditional list from Time reviewer Lev Grossman.

Opportunities for Writers: July and August – The latest in a series of lists with various contests and calls for material.

Two Damn Books: How I Got Here and Where I Want to Go – Author Roxane Gay talks about how she went from nearly giving up on traditional publishing to having two books released by a major publisher (to critical acclaim) virtually simultaneously.