Finds for Writers
Each week (typically Fridays), the Practicing Writing blog offers writing and publishing resources, news, and reflections to peruse over the weekend.
- From Sarah McCraw Crow: “Did you ever wonder why New Hampshire is the only New England state without a book festival? Probably you didn’t, but Emilie Burack and I did, and after almost a year of work, including a ton of labor from a very hands-on board, we can now say that New Hampshire does indeed have a book festival—the New Hampshire Book Festival!” It’s coming in October—check the post for details.
- “What a Debut Author Can Expect After Their Book Is Published by an Indie Press”: a guest post by Anastasia Zadeik for The Sub Club Newsletter.
- Dominating literary news this week: L’Affaire Guernica. To catch up, you might consult “After a Writer Expressed Sympathy for Israelis in an Essay, All Hell Broke Loose at a Literary Journal” (Los Angeles Times) and/or “Guernica Magazine Retracts Israeli Writer’s Coexistence Essay That Co-Publisher Called an ‘Apologia for Zionism’” (JTA). Related opinion pieces have appeared in both the mainstream and Jewish press, with Phil Klay’s “The Cowardice of Guernica” (The Atlantic; temporary gift link) and Nora Berman’s ” “An Elite Literary Journal Imploded over an Essay About the War — Because It Dared to Humanize Israelis as Well as Palestinians” (Forward) again offering just two examples. (Don’t neglect to read the actual essay at the heart of this, by Joanna Chen; you’ll find it linked in the other pieces, and you can also find it archived here.) Note that this is cross-posted from My Machberet, where you’ll find other Jewish-lit news, too.
- In not-unrelated news: I’ve had some things to say about a new open letter from writers far more celebrated than me. So far, I’ve said them on Twitter. Starting here.
- And today we’re at March’s midpoint. It’s a good moment to make sure that you’ve perused all of the still-open opportunities for your writing that appear in our March newsletter as well as the supplementary items that pop up in the weekly Markets and Jobs posts here on Practicing Writing.
Wishing everyone a good weekend.
Shockingly sad how swiftly the world has turned against Jews, just for defending themselves and striving to rescue the hostages. Of course, Bibi’s administration is far too reactionary for its own good. Settlers attack Palestinians and Bibi looks the other way. Rejecting a two-state solution also sends a bad message from Netanyahu to the community of nations.