Children's author Paul Jennings reflects on childhood, success and his writing process
abc.net.au – Sunday April 9, 2023
A 13-word letter from a child was probably the most profound piece of writing ever to land in Paul Jennings' lap.
"All he said was: 'Dear Paul Jennings, how come you know what it's like to be me?'," the author says.
"Good grief, you know. That little boy could see himself in my story, which is exactly what I want."
Close to four decades and nine million book sales have transpired since Jennings began his career as a children's writer.
Ray Bradbury On Writing and Writers
splashmags.com – Friday April 7, 2023
The following radio interview with Ray Bradbury was recorded over 50 years ago when I was quite young and terribly naive, it was to promote the release of the movie Something Wicked This Way Comes. What Ray Bradbury spent much of the time talking about was how many in society tried to tell us what we should and shouldn’t read, think and what can and cannot be imagined. It was, I think, a counseling session as much as an interview, encouraging myself and others to follow their heart and go their own way. Revisiting this interview has helped me recover my stalled creative momentum and I hope it will serve that purpose for others who read this.
Ray gave me the best advice about writing. Write! Who cares what’s published or heard tell the stories you want to tell. In his book Zen In The Art of Writing he talks about writing as a panacea for those living in troubled times. “While our art cannot, as we wish it could save us from wars, privation, envy, greed, old age or death, it can revitalize us amidst it all.”
5 Key Tips for Writing About the Neurodivergent Without Stereotyping
crimereads.com – Friday April 7, 2023
A neurodivergent psychotherapist (and author) offers up guidance on creating your ND characters
If I were a comic book heroine-or villain-the following would be my origin story:
When I was seven years old, my teachers called my mother in for a conference, informing her they didn’t think I was going to cut it at their fine academic institution. It was a small, Hebrew day school, with only twelve kids in my graduating class. Half the day we focused on our secular studies and the other half praying, studying Talmud, and learning how to read and write Hebrew. Think of it as the Jewish equivalent to Catholic school-equal amounts of guilt, but no penguins with corporal punish kinks. I would sit in class and stare off into seeming nothingness: eyes glazed with my mouth hanging slack, because Florida is a swamp I’m still allergic to and I had breathing issues. I would put two dots for eyes on my fingertips and pretend they were people under my desk.
My mother took me in for psychoeducational testing which lasts hours—at least I think it did. I have time blindness, which means without a clock in my face, I have no concept of time. At the end, a lady gave me blank paper and crayons, saying I could color anything I wanted. And I remember thinking, ‘whatever I draw, she’s going to think that’s how I feel about myself.’ So I drew what was expected of me: a little girl smiling under a brilliant sky of blue, surrounded by flowers and endless possibilities. When she came collecting, I saw her eyes scan my creation, the smallest hint of a smile curling the corner of her mouth. I had passed—both the test and my first-time masking as normal.
How to Query Your Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novel and Get Repped by a Literary Agent
theportalist.com – Friday April 7, 2023
A literary agent can help you sell your book to a major publishing house. These tips can help you sell yourself to agents.
You’ve written a novel! First, take a moment and congratulate yourself for making it to the end. After you’ve edited, revised, and gotten critical feedback from critique partners and beta readers, you might be thinking: What’s next? For anyone considering a career in traditional publishing, the next step is querying.
Querying is the process of finding an agent to represent you. To have your manuscript considered by any of the Big 5 publishing houses, you typically need a literary agent. The querying process typically requires three parts: a letter to the agent, a one- or two-page synopsis of the plot, and a short writing sample — typically the first five to 15 pages of your novel, depending on the agent. This guide will break down each of the three components of your query, plus resources you can use to identify the right contacts and attract the attention of a literary agent.
How a Tiny Literary Magazine Became a Springboard for Great Irish Writing
nytimes.com – Wednesday April 5, 2023
The Stinging Fly has helped launch several of Ireland’s most promising writers. How has a publication with 1,000 subscribers carved a niche in the Irish canon?
Before Sally Rooney was the author of best-selling books, and well before those books became buzzy television series, she was an undergraduate student at Trinity College Dublin with a growing pile of unpublished poems and no contacts in the writing world. Her first break came in 2010, when The Stinging Fly, a small Irish literary magazine, agreed to publish her work.
For Colin Barrett that career turning point arrived in 2009, with the publication of his short story “Let’s Go Kill Ourselves” in The Stinging Fly. Four years later, Barrett’s debut collection, “Young Skins,” was released via the magazine’s adjacent press to international acclaim. Barrett went on to win the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature.
The Stinging Fly has been something of a revelation in Irish literature. Founded in Dublin in 1997 by Declan Meade and Aoife Kavanagh as a receptacle for “all this great writing floating around,” as Meade said, it earned government support and has reached its 25th year as a launching pad for some of the country’s most promising, and in time, some of its best known, poets and novelists. As such, it has also become prime poaching ground for editors in other countries hungry for Irish talent.
How to Pitch to a Literary Agent
lithub.com – Wednesday April 5, 2023
In the latest “Craftwork” episode, a deep-dive conversation about literary agents with Carly Watters, herself a longtime literary agent and the co-host of the popular writing podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing. Carly is “very online” with a keen understanding of the digital landscape and the challenges faced by contemporary authors. In this episode, we discuss what you need to know about pitching a literary agent, what agents are looking for in writers—and more.
New Literary Agency Listing: Perez Literary & Entertainment
firstwriter.com – Wednesday April 5, 2023
A full-service agency dedicated to storytelling in all of its forms. We believe in the power of words to open minds and change lives. In today’s fast moving marketplace, we are on the constant lookout for opportunities in both traditional and non-traditional media. We are committed to empowering our clients and helping them to formulate the best strategies to achieve their storytelling goals.
A look ahead to the inaugural Bournemouth Writing Festival
greatbritishlife.co.uk – Tuesday April 4, 2023
The inaugural Bournemouth Writing Festival (April 21-23) offers more than 60 activities designed to improve and progress people’s writing – and how to get published! A mix of free and paid-for events, involving over 70 experienced writers and professionals, have been carefully curated to foster inspiration, networking and stimulate creativity, whatever your experience level is.
Held in venues within Bournemouth town centre, including St Peter’s Church and Art University Bournemouth’s Palace Court Theatre in Upper Hinton Road, television and film screenwriters, best-selling authors, poets, journalists, publicists, writing coaches, editors and publishers will be sharing their advice through talks and practical writing workshops.
New Magazine Listing: Tributaries
firstwriter.com – Monday April 3, 2023
Weekly online publication, showcasing the brief and the inspiring, that which sustains us and takes us through unexpected courses. Each week we will feature one short piece on our website. Submit one poem or up to 500 words of fiction or nonfiction prose, translations in any genre, and hybridity that addresses the mission. Multiple submissions are not accepted. Simultaneous submissions are fine as long as you notify us immediately. We do not accept previously published work.
New Literary Agent Listing: Chandler Wickers
firstwriter.com – Saturday April 1, 2023
Interested in representing adult fiction and non-fiction.
She is drawn to voice-driven literary and upmarket fiction with a strong sense of place, novels featuring darkly funny narrators, flawed protagonists, coming of age stories, and family sagas. She’s especially excited about writing that plays with form, stories that explore visceral experiences of body and mind, and characters grappling with philosophical questions about faith and desire.
In non-fiction, she looks for novelistic journalism, comprehensive histories, war reporting, wilderness adventures, and journeys to the edges of the Earth. As a San Francisco native and Brooklyn transplant she is keen on stories that intersect tech and pop culture, converge scholarly with personal narratives, and those that demystify a subculture or reveal an underbelly.
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