Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: Beyond the “Niceness” Debate–and Five Places to Promote Your Events Online

  1. Ron Charles
    RonCharles But now does every book critic on Earth have to write a response-essay abt reviews that are too mean? (Pls tell us “No,” @silvermanjacob)


Unless you’ve spent the past week or so entirely offline, you’ve likely caught at least some discussion regarding the practice of book-reviewing and the significance of nice–or nasty–reviews. Although I have some thoughts on these matters, they’re not yet processed. I admire those many writers who have (in some cases, nearly instantaneously) responded to various reviews, reactions, and counter-reactions in essay form. But I’m hoping that some of them are either 1) writers-who-teach who have not yet returned to the classroom and therefore have the luxury of ample time at their disposal or 2) people who are employed full-time as writers-critics. If these hopes are ill-founded, I’ll have to accept that I’m simply a lot slower (or lazier) than I thought.

At any rate, I’m going to follow the suggestion implied in Ron Charles’s tweet; I’m going to reserve full-fledged comment. At least, for now.

So what have I been doing with my own time-beyond-the-day-job in recent days? Big chunks have been devoted to solidifying details for and promoting some upcoming events. In brief: If you (or any of your friends/family/colleagues) live in Boston, Philadelphia, or Rochester, do I have news for you! And if you’re a writer looking for tips on how to promote your events, I have news for you, too. (more…)

Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: The Waiting Game

In an essay I wrote several years ago, I mentioned how in some ways, I’ve been drawn to a life–the writing-and-publishing life–for which I am temperamentally unsuited. And that’s because two of the things I have always found most challenging are these: rejection and waiting.

As the essay notes, rejection has become much easier with time and experience. But I’m afraid that the patience project is still something more of a work-in-progress. It’s not merely a matter of waiting for the acceptance/rejection decisions. I’m also filled with anticipation (and, sometimes, anxiety) when I know that a new piece has found a home and–yes, after another wait–will be meeting readers.

At the moment, I have a lot that I’m looking forward to sharing:

  • two book reviews filed, one of which represents my first assignment for the publication;
  • a flash nonfiction piece in the new issue of the lovely Manor House Quarterly. The issue’s theme is “She,” and I expect my contributor copy to arrive soon;
  • a short story (technically, a stand-alone excerpt from my unpublished novel manuscript), to be published in December (online) with another journal I’m a fan of;
  • two guest posts–accepted but awaiting scheduling–for two terrific blogs; and
  • my newest “First Looks” column for Fiction Writers Review, which should, in fact, be posted sometime today.
  • On the anxiety side (mixing in a dash of that good old fear-of-rejection), there’s the AWP proposal I’m waiting to hear about. The Grub Street seminar I’m hoping to fill. And some other things I’ll tell you about as soon as I can.

    I just have to keep working on that patience thing, right?

    What’s notable on your writing-and-publishing horizons? Please share with us, in comments.

    Friday Finds for Writers

    For the weekend: some writing-related reflections, news, and resources to enjoy.

  • First up: An assortment of authors’ book-promotion tips. I’m most intrigued by C. Hope Clark’s endorsement of the Square Card Reader, pictured to the left. (You may have seen Square elsewhere in the news this week, too.)
  • Next: “Got an MFA? Teach high school,” advises Nick Ripatrazone.
  • The Kenyon Review interviews George Singleton, on being told to “stick to fiction” in a poetry workshop, and other literary matters.
  • Sam Tanenhaus, who edits The New York Times Book Review, describes a typical workday and exemplary criticism.
  • Roxane Gay presents writers of color.
  • And in case you’ve missed the mentions elsewhere: I’m coming to Boston! And if this seminar on writing conferences, contests, and residencies appeals to you, please join us!
  • Have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday.

    Wednesday’s Work-in-Progress: Saying Good-bye to The Writer Magazine

    For years, I’ve looked forward to the arrival of The Writer magazine in my mailbox every month. I was a subscriber long before I became a contributor (my first article, “Surviving MFA Critiques,” appeared in the January 2004 issue). It’s fair and accurate to say that I’ve continued to learn at least as much from the magazine as a reader as I’ve given back as a writer and, since 2007, as a contributing editor. But the arrival of the September issue a few days ago was bittersweet, because–at least for now–it’s the last issue that I’ll be writing for.

    As many of you know, The Writer has been around for 125 years. But, as GalleyCat reported on July 26, the magazine will be going on hiatus after the October issue. The company that owns the magazine, Kalmbach Publishing, is looking for a buyer for it.

    I’m going to miss The Writer for many reasons. I’ve already mentioned my long-term commitment to it as a reader. But there’s much more to this particular good-bye.

    I’ve loved working with the magazine’s editors and staff, who have always treated me like the professional writer I’ve aimed to be, and I’ve especially appreciated their enthusiasm for my ideas. It will be odd to attend a conference of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) without heading straight toward The Writer‘s table at the Bookfair to catch up with everyone there. And I’ll miss the team’s sheer good-will and thoughtfulness, exemplified by the group get-well card they mailed after I suffered a major injury in 2009.

    My byline appears three final times in this September issue: for an article on book promotion, for a review of Janet Groth’s The Receptionist, and for a collaborative piece on must-read classic novels. I’m grateful to have the chance to sign off this way, and truly honored to have been part of The Writer‘s history.

    Friday Finds for Writers

    For the weekend: some writing-related reflections, news, and resources to enjoy.

  • Let’s begin with an item from ASJA’s “The Word” blog, in which freelancer Margie Goldsmith tells us “How to Conduct a Successful Interview.”
  • Next up: “The more I looked at stories where I’d never read past page one, the more I realized how many of them lacked clarity. Even as I read, I never really knew what was going on. Or I couldn’t keep the characters straight. Or I couldn’t picture the physical details being thrown my way. And this lack of clarity was preventing me from being engrossed enough to turn the page.” So writes Robin Black, in a terrific (and for this practicing writer, wonderfully timely) “rerun” Beyond the Margins post on story beginnings.
  • “What’s the state of American fiction today? VPR Presents Washington Post Book Critic Ron Charles. He speaks at the Vermont College of Fine Arts with VCFA President, Thomas Greene, about the decision not to award a Pulitzer Prize for fiction last year, how books are selected for review, and why people really read ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’.” I’m setting aside some time this weekend to listen.
  • This will also require some sustained attention: a list of the 20 most popular freelancing-related posts of the year (so far) on Carol Tice’s blog.
  • Finally, I’m very proud of this piece, “Remembering Munich, in Fact and Fiction,” which went live on The Forward‘s Arty Semite blog yesterday. The “fiction” in question is my own (“Homecomings,” a story in Quiet Americans). I may have more to say about this post next week. For now, I’ll just be grateful if you read it.
  • Have a great weekend, all. See you back here on Monday.