Writing-related resources, news, and reflections to read over the weekend.
Have a great weekend, everyone. Yes, Monday’s a holiday here in the U.S., but the blog will be back then nonetheless!
Practicing Writing
Welcome to Practicing Writing! Here you’ll find updates on writing and publishing opportunities (especially handy between issues of our popular monthly newsletter). You’ll discover ONLY opportunities that charge no fees, and ONLY publications/contests that will pay for your writing. The blog also shares writing-related news and resources, book reviews, and updates regarding this practicing writer’s own work.
Friday Finds for Writers
Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: A Brief Look at BIO
Last weekend, I had the happy opportunity to spend a few hours at the fourth annual “Compleat Biographer Conference” organized by the smart and intrepid folks behind Biographers International Organization (BIO), “the only organization of its kind, completely devoted to all aspects of the art and craft of biography.” The conference migrates. This year, it took place here in New York City; when I was offered the chance to visit, I snapped up the opportunity.
As a child, I was blessed with an early love for reading that was sustained, in part, by feeding a hearty appetite for biographies. I gobbled up the standard early-elementary introductions to Abraham Lincoln and other stalwarts, but I also read (and reread) a collection of profiles of other (albeit less) famous Americans published by Highlights. I was also an avid consumer of the Scholastic Book Club titles, and I remember in particular one book, They Led the Way: 14 American Women, which I encountered just a few years after its 1973 publication.
So maybe it’s not all that surprising that some of my earliest freelancing assignments were biographical profiles for encyclopedias. Or that my first idea for a history dissertation topic was a biography, of a French author and activist named Suzanne Prou (here’s the New York Times obituary that inspired my interest). My dissertation ended up taking a different direction, but I’m still drawn to biographies as a reader. (Most recently, I’ve read Jonathan Kirsch’s new biography of “boy avenger” Herschel Grynszpan, and I’ve just published a Q&A with the author on my other blog.) I continue to look for and file away possible subject ideas for my own writing purposes.
All of which is to explain why I’ve followed the development of BIO (I wrote a brief profile of the organization for The Writer magazine some years ago), and why I was so pleased to visit the conference. If I ever do plunge more bravely into the waters of biography-writing, I’ll definitely depend on BIO for guidance.
Monday Markets for Writers
Monday brings the weekly batch of no-fee competitions/contests, paying submission calls, and jobs for those of us who write (especially those of us who write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction). Continue reading ›
Friday Finds for Writers
Writing-related resources, news, and reflections to read over the weekend.
Have a great weekend, everyone. See you back here on Monday.
Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: Short Story Month Giveaway!
It has taken me until the middle of May–Short Story Month–but I’m finally announcing the 2013 SSM giveaway of Quiet Americans. Details in a moment.
First, I want to encourage you to go over to Books, Personally and read Jennifer’s wonderful post all about Short Story Month (complete with links to other celebrating sites, including Fiction Writers Review, where I’ve done my bit to contribute to this year’s festivities).
Then, please come on back here and leave a comment. Bonus points if you mention one of the stories (or collections) you’ve most enjoyed over the past year. Extra bonus points if you mention a story that’s available online and give us a link to it. (I’m serious–you’ll get one or two additional entries in the giveaway if you do these things when you leave your comment.)
Comment anytime between now and May 30. On May 31, I’ll announce the giveaway winner. Please note that I can ship your SIGNED copy of Quiet Americans only within the U.S. at this time. And thanks for playing along!
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