Finds for Writers

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Most Fridays the Practicing Writing blog shares writing and publishing resources, news, and reflections to peruse over the weekend. But it’s been an excruciating week for so many of us. And frankly, I’ve paid next-to-no attention to garden-variety news from the writing and publishing spheres.

On Wednesday, however, I received an email from Facing History and Ourselves, a Boston-based global nonprofit organization that I’ve admired for many years. The email introduced a “mini-lesson” titled “Processing Attacks in Israel and the Outbreak of War in the Region.”

The resource isn’t perfect. (What resource is?) But one of its segments impressed me as something that, though intended for educators and students, could be clarifying for writers as well, in our work and in the rest of our lives. It’s a section titled “Avoiding Antisemitic and Islamophobic Tropes in Discussing Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.”

Screenshot of text published beneath "Avoiding Antisemitic and Islamophobic Tropes in Discussing Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." Text taken from the website linked within the post.
  • Over on Twitter a few weeks ago, Debbie Ridpath Ohi asked, “Are you a traditionally published kidlit/YA creator who was rejected many times before getting your 1st book contract? To encourage others going thru rejections, pls reply with # rejections and/or one piece of helpful advice.” Do read the responses!
  • In which Victoria Strauss/Writer Beware takes on the “author reality show idea.”
  • “While I’m thrilled to see and support younger versions of myself making progress in this publishing world, I’m often reminded how that didn’t exist when I was warily testing the waters in my twenties and thirties and even part of my forties. Now, when I’m a better, more confident writer and know what I’m about, I’m coming up against the ageism wall.” From a fantastic interview with Jenny Bhatt, conducted by Sari Botton for the (also fantastic) Oldster.
  • Recent updates at the Chill Subs site include new genre categories for translations and humor.
  • And of course, you’ll find a fresh set of Jewish lit links over on the My Machberet blog.

Wishing everyone a good weekend.

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