This Week on Books Direct -
23 September 2018
Here's a list of some great articles you may have missed this week. Enjoy!
Steampunk! What's #Steampunk? by Laura Strickland for Brenda Whiteside
Laura gives us a lesson about the Steampunk genre.
Haruki Murakami Withdraws From Alternative Nobel Prize by Alison Flood for The Guardian
The novelist had been shortlisted for Swedish award running in place of scandal-hit honor, but says he wishes to concentrate on writing instead.
Pennsylvania To End Prison Book Donations, Forcing Inmates Onto Pricey Ebook Platform by Rob Beschizza for BoingBoing
Pennsylvania's Department of Corrections is planning to ban free book donations to inmates by mail, claiming that this is a “primary avenue for drugs” to enter prisons.
Danez Smith Becomes Youngest Winner Of Forward Poetry Prize by Alison Flood for The Guardian
Chair of judges Bidisha pays tribute to Don’t Call Us Dead’s “passionate and very contemporary” verse.
And speaking of young:
Man Booker 2018: Daisy Johnson Becomes Youngest Ever Author Shortlisted For Prize by Alison Flood for The Guardian
The 27-year-old British author’s debut Everything Under is up for the £50,000 award, while Michael Ondaatje and the first nominated graphic novel are knocked out
Toolbox 14: Query Revamping by Anna Simpson for emaginette
Anna talks about revamping her query letter to publishers. Don’t forget to read the comments below the post!
Further to last week’s story:
Bob Woodward's Fear Is The Fastest-Selling Book In Simon & Schuster's History by Michael Schaub for LA Times
Bob Woodward's Fear: Trump in the White House has sold more than 1.1 million copies in its first week of release, making it the fastest-selling book in the history of its publisher, Simon & Schuster.
Infographic: The 7 Steps Of The Writing Process by Wendy Van Camp for No Wasted Ink
A nice visual reminder.
The Open Book in Scotland is an Airbnb bookstore residency program that allows guests to rent the shop and apartment and play Scottish bookstore owner.
8 Ways To Update Old Blog Posts To Boost Blog Traffic by Designer Blogs
A quick way to boost blog traffic is by refreshing old blog posts by improving the content and updating any outdated information.
What Makes Edgar Allan Poe So Great? An Animated Video Explains by Josh Jones for Open Culture
In the short TED-Ed video above, scripted by Poe scholar Scott Peeples of the College of Charleston, we are introduced to many of the qualities of form and style that make Poe distinctive, and that made him stand out among a crowd of popular horror writers of the time.
How To Write A Compelling Character Arc by Reedsy
In this post, we'll look at how a writer can plot a compelling, believable character arc - starting with a classic story of good triumphing over evil.
If you enjoyed this blog post, please visit the other This Week posts for links to more great articles.
