Innehållsförteckning för May 2015 från The Writer

MAY IS THE TIME OF YEAR when many of us emerge from long, hard winters to take a restorative breath of warm air. Here in New England, after a pounding winter, we cherish the arrival of green grass. In part, that’s why Diane Ackerman is on our cover. When we were assembling this issue, Ackerman had recently won the PEN New England Henry David Thoreau Prize for excellence in nature writing, and we thought she would be the perfect embodiment of the inspiration and comfort writers take from the beauty and fierceness of the natural world. Allow me to call your attention to another celebration of the natural world – the ocean and a short story contest. In these pages and on our website, you can find information about our…

Established in 2010 by writer and naturalist Dale Peterson, the PEN New England Henry David Thoreau Prize is awarded annually to a writer demonstrating literary excellence in nature writing. Previous winners include Gretel Ehrlich, E. O. Wilson, Gary Snyder, Peter Matthiessen and T. C. Boyle. The man at the heart of the prize penned the following words. “I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” – Walden: Or, Life in the Woods “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” – Civil Disobedience and Other Essays “Read the best books…

* “Fashion is about dressing according to what’s fashionable. Style is more about being yourself.” –Oscar de la Renta When I write, I imagine I’m someone I’m not. It is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the creative process. But why should that creativity be confined to the composition stage? Too often, I reach the editing or pitching stage and suddenly become a stiff, awkward facsimile of myself, resulting in desultory edits and lackluster queries. Why not use this creative brain to make these latter processes more enjoyable and, better still, productive? Creativity shouldn’t end with “The End.” It should extend into the editing, the query-letter writing, the self-promotion. But how to do that? It turns out all I needed was a trip to the second-hand clothing store. Here’s…

* The letter A played a leading role in naming girls in 2014. The six most popular names, according to BabyCenter, all ended in A: Sophia, Emma, Olivia, Ava, Isabella and Mia. How will this influence the naming of your characters? Both spellings are correct. Usually the difference is the publication’s country of origin. In America, the word is spelled “color” and in Britain, it’s “colour.” You’ll find many spelling differences of this variety, such as “harbor” versus “harbour” and “flavor” versus “flavour.” To add or drop the “u” isn’t the only concern. There are many spelling differences between the two versions of English, including “liter” and “litre,” “offense” and “offence,” and “canceled” and “cancelled.” Some of these changes trace back to early America, when Americans were working toward autonomy…

“I write out of a desire to see my own experience affirmed in the human sphere.” for many of us, obsession is where it all begins. A story takes root as the first seed of interest is pressed into the ground. We water and nurture the object of our desire with intense interest and passionate research. Soon there’s a pulse. Next time we look, branches like arms are reaching for the sky. Characters multiply, plot stretches and story explodes into a leafy green circus. To an outsider looking in – a familiar vantage point for veteran playwright Doug Wright – obsession in a writer might look like a neurosis. But Wright is a big believer in obsession. “If I’m going to ask an audience to pay good money and commit…

The OLD MAN enters. OLD MAN Why you all crouching away from me? It’s just the Old Man here. LEADER Are you dead, Old Man? OLD MAN What kind of foolish question is that? Good thing you all ain’t free. Good thing they days ain’t they own to fill. Good thing they time is still owned by the Boss-Master, Cause, if they time ever was they own, mark it: They’d be filling it all up with foolishness. Seeing me standing here but thinking me dead. Goodness, people, I was just out walking, out looking for Hero’s dog. FOURTH Hero’s dog, the dog called Odd-See. We all know where Odd-See Dog is at: Hero’s dog is by Hero’s side, just like he always is. OLD MAN The dog’s run off, Where…

When you dream of a book deal, the image of a stack of flashy, study hardcovers often comes to mind. But in the age of e-books and high hardcover price points, many imprints have popped up to publish only in paperback. A format that started out with a stigma has slowly taken over bookshelves everywhere. We asked authors with successful paperback originals to discuss the format’s misconceptions and whether writers should be wary. “I don’t think there is anything to fear, from the author’s perspective, about being published in paperback original, not today. There was a time when front-list books, if not in hardcover, were considered to get short shrift from the review media. I’m not sure that was ever true, but it is not now. Publishers large and small…

Tom Sleigh is a poet, playwright, essayist, translator, journalist and professor. His latest book, the poetry collection Station Zed, draws on his experiences reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps in Somalia, Libya, Lebanon and Iraq. His poetry has appeared in The New Yorker, The Best American Poetry and other publications, and has earned him accolades including the Kingsley Tufts Award and the Poetry Society of America Shelley Memorial Award. WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU’VE LEARNED ABOUT WRITING? It’s very simple. When I was in my 20s, I recognized that my best energy during the day was in the morning. So for many years, I tried to arrange my life so that I could have the time in the morning to sit down and work. As soon as you…

IN HER NEWEST BOOK The Human Age: The World Shaped by Us, acclaimed nature writer Diane Ackerman tackles what is perhaps the most urgent question of our era: What lasting impact will humankind have on the planet? Using her characteristic lyrical prose, Ackerman pens this epic contemplation of the world as we know it, and her surprisingly optimistic tone sheds new light on a topic many writers have pursued. The Human Age highlights impressive technological advances that may have the power to see us through future havoc, while acknowledging the depth and complexitiy of the damage done. Winner of the 2015 PEN New England Henry David Thoreau Prize, Ackerman has authored 14 works of nonfiction, eight collections of poetry and two children’s books. Our interview follows. QUOTABLES Get to know Ackerman’s…

A RELIABLE NARRATOR IS A TRUSTED GUIDE THROUGH A FAMILIAR WORLD MADE UNFAMILIAR BY THE PRESENCE OF MAGIC. AS A FORM of realism, magical realism depends for its effectiveness on readers’ acceptance of the story’s magical elements as real. Otherwise, it’s too easy for readers to disassociate from the characters and events, making the piece fail to emotionally resonate. Achieving that acceptance of the impossible, that willing suspension of disbelief in magic, is in large part a matter of point of view. Who is telling this story? Why should the reader trust this voice? Establishing the authority of your narrator allows the reader to trust the emotional truth of the story, even if certain elements defy belief. A reliable narrator is a trusted guide through a familiar world made unfamiliar…

It’s a fact of life: In the field of writing, rejection is part of the job. It’s as much a part of our writing lives as buying replacement ink cartridges. When our work is rejected, it’s easy to assume it marks the end of the road for that particular work. But not if you can learn to reject rejection. You simply need to find a new route to your destination of acceptance. Sometimes that route isn’t the one you anticipated, but as any traveler knows, if you prepare for every eventuality, you have a better chance of reaching your destination. The following steps can help you adjust to rejection and send it on its way. KNOW YOUR NEXT MARKET. When someone rejects your writing, it is only one person’s judgment.…

In 2010, The Normal School managing editor Sophie Beck wrote in an essay for Poets & Writers that helping to start a literary magazine was one of the best things she’d ever done. Five years and three kids later, she still believes this. “When I read all the pieces,” she says, “I get really excited about what people are writing and the way that they do it. It feels like the frontlines; this is where people are experimenting, where they have freedom to play around with things. There’s no downside to taking some risks with form or approach when people are working in short format.” Editors gravitate toward quirky pieces that often rely on research into unusual topics. Want to know more about outsider architecture, presidential-hopeful Howard Dean or Top 40…

Submitting your writing to a contest is an effective way to gain exposure for it. If your work is chosen, that often means publication. Submitting your work also puts you in contact with editors who may move your career along even if you don’t secure a place in the winning group. Before entering a contest, consider these steps. 1 Not all contests are appropriate for all writers. Carefully read the guidelines to make sure your work fits the identified categories. It may be helpful to look at past winners to determine if there are similarities to your work. 2 Follow the rules. Administrators meticulously organize contests. Make sure your entry matches their requirements. It would be unfortunate to have your work disqualified due to a submission formatting error. 3 Budget…

READERS should use caution when entering into any legal contract with a literary service offering agenting-type assistance; publishers who charge, rather than pay, an author for publication; publishers who require a purchase before publication and contests that charge high entrance fees. The Writer also recommends requesting a list of references and submission guidelines before submitting a manuscript. If you have any concerns regarding the advertiser’s commitment or claims, please contact the advertiser and make certain all questions are answered to your satisfaction. ADVERTISERS We do not accept ads from agents or businesses that charge a reading or marketing fee; Subsidy Publishers: Copy of contract. In order to effectively handle questions from our readers regarding the products and services of our advertisers, the staff of The Writer asks that you provide…