“As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care if it’s a hardback, paperback, e-book or library book. Read.”
–John Grisham
Source: Grisham’s Commencement speech at the University of North Carolina, quoted by The Book Blog.
As some of you may remember, in my former (freelancing) life, I offered a slew of writing-related e-books for sale. As the years passed–and as I transitioned into a full-time staff job–I didn’t have sufficient time to update each e-book as frequently as I wanted. Other reasons prompted me to bid farewell to those guides: The guides to paying fiction and poetry markets, for instance, seemed less relevant once Duotrope became such an established and vital (and free) site. So, over time, I retired several of the guides, making each of them available at no charge for a period of time before sending them to the great virtual beyond.
Ultimately, I was maintaining (and updating, twice each year) two guides. One provides a directory of paying markets for book reviewers, and the other one lists dozens of paying markets for essayists. The most recent updates for both guides were completed last December.
The time is coming to say good-bye to updating–and selling–these two guides, too. But before they disappear from view (which will happen on August 1, 2010), I want to give you all the opportunity to access them (free of charge). They’re still available on the site that has handled the sales from the start: I warn you that you may need to jump through some hoops to access them (you may need a free account on that site, for instance). If you have any trouble, please contact the help staff at the site. I simply have no ability to fix any technical problems you may encounter there.
But let’s be optimistic! Let’s hope that you can access whichever book you want (or both, if that’s the case), and that the markets I’ve researched and updated over the years bring you–and your writing practice–much success!
Living in New York City, one could easily attend a literary reading (make that multiple readings) every day. The city presents a true embarrassment of riches in that respect.
If you have the time and energy, that is.
Alas, time and energy are precious commodities for this practicing writer. Between a full-time office job, family life and friends, a revitalized commitment to visiting the gym at least a few days each week, and, lest we forget, a bit of writing (and reading, and blogging) here and there, boarding a subway or bus to attend a reading too often falls off my to-do list. Especially when it’s really hot outside. Or really cold.
This week, however, I persevered. After an especially intense workday and facing the oppressive heat and humidity that is also oh-so-characteristic of this lovely city (this time of year, anyway), I rallied. I was determined to attend what Ron Hogan had billed as “An Evening of All-American Fiction” midtown at the Center for Fiction, featuring the following authors and new books:
American fiction. Get it?
Well, how could anyone with a forthcoming story collection titled Quiet Americans resist?
I sure couldn’t. And I’m very glad I went, not only because it is always good for me to get out and go to these events, see authors and hear new work read. But the event also got me thinking about readings in another respect.
Right now, I shouldn’t simply be attending readings. I should be arranging them, too.
I’ve already explained that Last Light Books, the publisher of Quiet Americans, is a small, new press. There is no money for me to go “touring” around the country, although a virtual book tour is definitely on the agenda.
So here I am, trying to figure out how to arrange readings in the New York area, Boston, and D.C. (I expect to be in D.C. in early February for the 2011 AWP conference, and I’m planning to get to Boston a few months later.)
And here are some of the questions I have:
As always, thank you in advance for your comments and advice!
“I’m against schedules. Write when you feel excited by the prospect. Otherwise, don’t bother.”
–Rick Moody
Source: The Paris Review
What do you think of this one, practicing writers? Kind of goes against a lot of what we’ve been taught, doesn’t it? On the other hand, it does sound wonderfully liberating!
Yesterday afternoon I left work early for the semiannual fun-filled dental checkup. The bad news (this time) is that I have the beginnings of a cavity that “we’ll watch” for the next several months. Oh, and I should give some serious thought to adult braces for my lower teeth (I thought all of that was taken care of with six years of orthodontia way back when).
But the good news is that while I was in the waiting room I finally downloaded the new (and free) Poetry Foundation poetry app. I have to say that it is a vast improvement over the “Poem Flow” app I paid for awhile back. “Poem Flow” ended up giving me a single poem each day—usually the same poem I was already receiving for free from the Academy of American Poets. The Poetry Foundation app, on the other hand, gives you access to so many poems, neatly organized by topic (or to suit your mood). Thumbs up for the Poetry Foundation’s app!
Wishing you all a great weekend. See you back here on Monday!