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Friday Find: The Literarian

by Erika Dreifus on
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This week, the Center for Fiction (New York) launched its new website. The entire site is likely to keep you busy for awhile–sections include “for readers,” “for writers,” “audio/video,” and “awards,” among others. But perhaps the pièce de résistance is the Center’s new online magazine: The Literarian.

Go check it out. And have a great weekend.

We’ll see you back here on Monday.

The Wednesday Web Browser for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled
  • This week’s Fiction Writers Review book giveaway is Jacob Paul’s debut novel, Sarah/Sara, which I reviewed for FWR last year. Even more up-to-date is this interview with the author, posted on FWR this week.
  • Speaking of giveaways, you can still sign up for the current Goodreads giveaway of my short-story collection, Quiet Americans (three copies!) or, simply by joining our Facebook fan page, become eligible for a simultaneous offering of two more copies of the collection.
  • Cathy Day has written an engaging (and, I’d argue, highly valid) essay on “Academia’s Novel Crisis.” Bonus: She has also posted an equally engaging (and, I fear, equally valid) item on the process of getting that essay written and published.
  • Ever wonder how literary-journal editors make their selections! In the case of Sycamore Review‘s editors, you need wonder no longer. Nonfiction Editor Chidelia Edichie explains: “[W]e figured we’d like to share some of our “picking” process with our readers, and perhaps most importantly, with our submitters. What is it about a certain poem, essay, or story that makes us stop, light up, and then hungrily read for more? We hope that, in articulating ‘why we chose it’ to you, our readers, it’ll help us understand our work as editors even more deeply.”
  • Have you been following our virtual book tour? Itinerary here.

    • Monday Morning Markets/Jobs/Opportunities

    by Erika Dreifus on
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  • “The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation offers its fourth annual summer fiction-writing seminar in historic Sozopol in Bulgaria. Fiction writers from Bulgaria and fiction writers from English-speaking countries, including but not limited to the U.S. and the U.K., are invited to apply. A total number of ten applicants will be selected for participation and funding.” No application fee. Deadline: February 15, 2011.
  • New prize in German-to-English literary translation: The Frederick & Grace Gutekunst Prize for Young Translators. Open to college students and translators under the age of 35 who have not published or are under contract for a book-length translation. Applicants must live in the U.S., and will be required to translate a literary text that will be made available upon request from the Goethe-Institut New York. Prize includes a $2,500 award. No application fee indicated. Deadline: February 28, 2011. (via ALTA_USA)
  • For our practicing writers in the U.K.: How would you like to earn a bit of money for writing a letter of complaint? Check out this monthly competition, which awards prizes of £30. (And also take a look at the list where I found the competition in the first place, over on the Mistakes Writers Make blog. It’s a nice resource for nonfiction writers, especially those based in the U.K.)
  • The New School (N.Y.) is advertising for two visiting associate professorships in writing (fiction).
  • The University of Central Missouri is looking for an Assistant or Associate Professor of Creative Writing: “The successful candidate will have a terminal degree (MFA or PhD), significant publications, and outstanding promise as a writer and teacher. Past editorial experience is essential. Duties will include teaching composition, survey literature, and all levels of creative writing, as well as editorial responsibilities at Pleiades: A Journal of New Writing and Pleiades Press. Teaching load is 4-4 with the possibility of a course reduction for work on Pleiades.”
  • Denison University (Ohio) “seeks a one-year visiting assistant professor in creative writing with an emphasis in fiction. Ability to teach introductory creative writing classes is required, with capabilities in poetry and nonfiction. The 3/3 teaching assignment may include introductory and advanced creative-writing courses, first-year writing, a literature course in the candidate’s field, and supervision of senior creative-writing projects.”
  • Plymouth State University (N.H.) seeks a staff writer/editor. Weill Cornell Medical College (N.Y.) is looking for an assistant editorial specialist. And the American College of Nurse-Midwives (Md.) has posted a call for a part-time writer and editor (30 hrs./week).

    • The Wednesday Web Browser for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled
  • “Oronte Churm” asked MFA directors at Michigan, Syracuse, Irvine, Alabama, the Michener Center, and Ohio University for their thoughts on digital thesis deposits. Here’s how they responded.
  • Chris Fischbach is right: listening to Norah Labiner’s reading at Prairie Lights in Iowa City is great fun. (Especially since I’ve read and reviewed Labiner’s book, German for Travelers: A Novel in 95 Lessons.)
  • Maureen Corrigan reflects on William Trevor and his newly released collection of short stories.
  • My subscriber copy of The Writer magazine arrived on Monday, and it’s quite an issue. I’m in there again (this time with a guide to the upcoming Association of Writers & Writing Programs [AWP] conference), and I’ve got some amazing company: Jim Shepard, Betsy Lerner, Dani Shapiro, and more. Check out the table of contents.
  • Also just arrived in the mail: the latest issue of Vanity Fair, which includes a lovely feature on Atlanta’s literary ladies (including Jessica Handler, one of our wonderful Winter Blog Tour hosts!).
  • Author and professor Aurelie Sheehan, in The New York Times, on Arizona.

    • The Wednesday Web Browser for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
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    Lots of excellent finds for you this week, my practicing writer friends!

  • I’m not one for making too many New Year’s resolutions myself, but I sure do enjoy reading other people’s lists of intentions. And I really liked reading poet Diane Lockward’s recent review of how she fared with the resolutions she made for 2010.
  • Good news for those of us who love good fiction: Andrew’s Book Club is back.
  • I thought Daniel Handler’s essay on reading poetry, in the January 2011 issue of Poetry magazine, was terrific when I read it in print, and I’m so glad that it’s now online.
  • I know: You don’t expect to hear about my book, Quiet Americans, before Thursday, but I can’t help pointing you to these reflections, which were inspired by mention of another author’s new book on the Tablet magazine site a few days ago.
  • Looking for some writerly inspiration in the new year? Check out Lisa Romeo’s Winter Writing Prompts Project. And Midge Raymond’s weekly writing exercises.
  • Speaking of inspiration, I am loving Sage Cohen’s new Path of Possibility site. It’s tough to single out favorite posts, but here’s one, about conquering fear, and here’s another, in which Sage shares some of her own beautiful poetry.
  • Also empowering: Carol Tice’s freelance writer’s manifesto.
  • And let’s take one last glance back at 2010, through the eyes (and words) of writers from around the world (with a little help from translators, as needed).