news from the romance writing world June 15, 2009
Posted by julietrevelyan in Uncategorized.add a comment
Okay, not really news, but more of a well-written post reflecting the thoughts and viewpoints of many, many writers…which will hopefully lead to news in the future. Read here and get yourself informed.
Digital vs. traditional…new vs. old…David vs. Goliath. Interesting to watch, and utterly reflective of our times!
is this really, truly necessary? March 16, 2009
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It was, I suppose, inevitable. A book of tweets. Twitter tweets, that is. An entire, hardcover book, no less. For which people will pay money.
Is it worth it? Well, even the author says “No, most of it doesn’t mean anything, certainly not to anyone else.”
Then why, I beg of you? Why?
I sigh in response. Then I slink off, to work on my own book. Which is absolutely, unequivocally, tweetless.
Recession? What recession? March 10, 2009
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OK, word on the street is that publishers are still willing, apparently, to shell out the really big bucks for a book: see this link for news about a jaw-dropping advance for a literary fiction author. Note that this is not a new author, and she is most certainly a splendid writer. In my super humble opinion, naturellement.
Dang. I’d better get back to writing my own masterpiece, eh?
lean times might be boom time for writers–sort of February 28, 2009
Posted by julietrevelyan in recession, writing.2 comments
Everyone keeps nattering on about the gloomy climate these days. Ecomonic, ecological, psychological–the media leads one to believe that we’re all wandering around under a shroud of dark, miring intent. Thanks, CNN! [editor's note: I adore CNN. Just picked them because, well, they can be doomsayers at times.]
So here’s a link to a GalleyCat post, in which the New Yorker fiction editor says she’s been getting a plethora of submissions lately, some of which touch directly on the recession. Of course, I wonder what a “steady” flow of hopeful submissions looks like for the New Yorker. 1,000 a week? 2,000? A “measly” 500? But I digress.
Such an increase would of course only make each writer’s chances that much more dismal, in strictly statistical terms. But think of the implications of her statement, as well as her musings on why. Do writers indeed have more time to write now, at least the laid-off ones? Are they simply plying their trade in greater desperation as they watch their wallets and larders shrink? Or maybe it’s also that doom & gloom is such an encouragement to artists everywhere. Think about it. How many great works of art, whether literary, visual, or otherwise, are based in happiness? Yeah, didn’t think so. When I consider some of the world’s great literature, I get images of tragic characters, tortured visages, and tremendous unrest. Happily ever after (a staple in romances, of course) does not usually factor.
Hmm. Kind of sad, no?
At any rate, food for thought today. Now, back to plotting the doom and gloom my characters experience in my novel…heh heh.
uh-oh…censorship? February 17, 2009
Posted by julietrevelyan in digital world.1 comment so far
Found this interesting, rather alarming article about legally blocked links. Ah, the slippery slope. Does it perhaps begin here?
This could set a precedent that would create very dangerous territory for writers. For example, for those who have a website with links to articles (our own), what would such link-blocking mean? Well, really pissed-off writers, for one. I can’t imagine blocking links to one’s own writing on one’s own site. But then again, if you read the article, who would have imagined blocking the link in question? Seems totally silly to me, as it apparently does to others. But overall, it is still alarming.
All right. Consider that the doom & gloom news of the day. Onward, now! Back to writing…
Frugally Speaking: reviewing The Frugal Editor February 13, 2009
Posted by julietrevelyan in Book Reviews.2 comments
Okay, folks, here’s the scoop: If you are serious about being a serious writer, you need to read The Frugal Editor. And by serious writer, I mean one who can do more than just write, but can write correctly (hello, grammar) and is able to self-edit with a critical eye. Not to mention that these days, frugality is all the rage. So let’s give this title a whirl, shall we?
The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success by Carolyn Howard-Johnson is a fun read (yes, I did just say “fun” about a book on editing) that contains truly excellent gems of advice for writers in all stages of their careers. Her tips are straightforward but not obvious, there is an index (I hate books of this type that don’t contain indices), sample query letters, eye-friendly little sidebars, and simply sweet ’n short little chapters that demonstrate the basic tenet of not saying more than is necessary (thank you, Strunk & White).
Think you don’t need a reminder of how to edit? Think you’re all that? Here’s a little nugget from the book about gremlins, those editing mistakes that trip us up whenever they can. Tell me what’s wrong with this sentence, which started off an essay submission by a New Yorker-published writer: “Growing up, there were two types of food in my family.”
Yeah, that essay was rejected right off. Got it? Good. Not? Then you definitely need The Frugal Editor! Even if you did catch the sly grammatical monster in that sentence, you can still benefit from reading this book. Enjoy. I sure did. (And here’s hoping this post is grammatically correct…)
war of the words & free reads February 5, 2009
Posted by julietrevelyan in Stephen King, Stephenie Meyer, book publishers.add a comment
This has been pretty funny to read about–the blog comments more than the actual article. I say kudos to Stephen King for not being afeared to speak his mind. As to my own thoughts about Stephenie Meyer’s writing…well, let’s stay mum on that for now, eh? She’s had flaming brands a-plenty tossed at her; adding mine seems pointless at this stage. And as some have pointed out, it just makes for more publicity for her. Hey, idea–maybe she and King plotted this whole media flap in order to generate even more sales for her popular sparkly vampires! And he gets a cut on the side. Hmmm….
For the month of February, Harlequin Enterprises is posting free e-reads on their eharlequin site. Check it out and merrily read away…Some are hot, some are sweet, all are romances. Fun themes and a good price in this economy. Read on!
John Updike, in memorium January 27, 2009
Posted by julietrevelyan in Uncategorized.2 comments
Ah…another one of the greats has passed on to whatever comes next. John Updike wrote a hell of a lot.
I read Updike in high school and maybe a bit in college too. I suppose I am of the age where some of the classic writers I read in years past might be old enough to start departing this earth. Hmm. Gravitas, indeed. Such events always give one pause to reflect, contemplate, and take stock, no?
Cheers, Mr. Updike. I wonder if writers get to keep writing after we zoom off this plane? Hmm…questions…!
publisher website launch January 26, 2009
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HarperStudio, part of that giant HarperCollins, has launched its new website today. They plan on doing things differently than the big boys (like their parent company). There are a lot of celebrity authors already in their lineup, which is a bit disappointing (I mean, don’t those people get enough attention already? Spread the love to the wonderful unknowns!), but it’s nice to see a small group of vital book-lovers going at it full throttle. Stay tuned to see if their business model is indeed smart maneuvering in this unhealthy economy of ours…
An interesting note, which you can read about in this blog post, is that they eschewed the expensive big website designers, went with a WordPress platform, and used a designer out of Montana. Let’s hear it for the little folks!
tumbling through technology & sex (still) sells January 22, 2009
Posted by julietrevelyan in YA, digital books.3 comments
Here’s an interesting article from Time magazine. The roller coaster of the ebook craze is catching more attention from the public at large, and the media responds in kind. This particular piece is a mixed bag of inspiration and trepidation for writers, novelists in particular. Does one self-publish? Go the traditional New York route? Give up in despair?
Giving up in utter despair can be tempting. Not only were you competing against millions of writers to begin with, now you’re competing with even more–and they sometimes just publish their tales for free right to their cell phones for anyone to read. What’s a writer to do?
You could perhaps jump on the book packaging bandwagon with giant Alloy Entertainment, which is calling for ideas. This will work well for those who have a brainstorm about the young, moneyed, showing-off-skin female set. (Which I personally find tremendously annoying, but it is a money-maker for many. Apparently girls want to forget about the economy as much as adults, by traipsing into fantasy land via the latest offering about naughty, sexy rich teens.) And don’t forget that Alloy Entertainment, known for gems such as Gossip Girl (blech) and the truly fun Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, was the packager behind the Kaavya Viswanathan debacle back in 2006…buyer beware, and all that. (Sorry the graphics are all over the place…I’m still figuring out this WordPress thing.)
Of course, for a working writer, being able to get said work in this economy is the important matter. Go where the money is if that’s what you need!
