Finds for Writers
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.”
- One of the week’s biggest stories: Elizabeth Gilbert’s decision not to release her latest novel as scheduled. For Publishers Weekly, Sophia Stewart has summarized what’s happened—and, at least as of the article’s Tuesday publication, the responses.
- In which The Washington Post‘s Editorial Board declares: “21st-century editors should keep their hands off 20th-century books.” (Gift link provided.)
- Pro tips on pitching podcasts, from “podcast matchmaker” Michelle Glogovac in Leigh Stein’s Attention Economy newsletter (hat tip here to Jane Friedman’s Electric Speed).
- Big losses widely mourned in the literary world this week: Cormac McCarthy (1933-2023) and Robert Gottlieb (1931-2023).
- And don’t miss the latest Jewish lit links (including a call for your summer-reading recs). You’ll find them over on My Machberet.
Have a good weekend—and for those who may be struggling, may Father’s Day land gently.