Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—publishing reports, literary dispatches, academic announcements, and more—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today’s stories.
Emily Nemens has announced she will resign as editor of the Paris Review in order to focus on her next novel. In a public letter, she reflected on the accomplishments of her three-year tenure: “I’m thrilled to see the quarterly at record high circulation, and that the work we publish in its pages has been recognized by peers.” The board of directors also shared a statement, thanking Nemens for her work and announcing that a search is underway for her successor.
Columbia University Press has announced plans to develop a new book series dedicated to publishing work in the field of Black studies. Four faculty members from Howard University and four professors from Columbia University will provide editorial oversight for the program. The collaborative venture will also include opportunities for students from both universities to learn the ropes of publishing. (Publishers Weekly)
“How do we discard this thing in which we’ve invested so much time? How do we give ourselves permission to do it? But sometimes we must.” Jami Attenberg talks to fellow writers about their discarded manuscripts. (Substack)
“It is unsurprising, at the end of the day, that this book sent critics into such a rage.” Lily Houston Smith finds redeeming qualities in Slapstick, or Lonesome No More! by Kurt Vonnegut, despite the negative critical reception. (Rumpus)
“The one constant of my Black life is that I have always laughed when I should not have. To laugh at the absurdity of race comes naturally; what feels strange is the insistence from white people that I should weep.” Brit Bennett examines the tragic humor at the heart of Passing by Nella Larsen. (T: The New York Times Style Magazine)
“We may miss many things when we read a text in translation. But sometimes we also gain other things in their place.” Ana Luísa Amaral reflects on the limits and possibilities of translation. (Bookseller)
Margaret Maron, a prolific crime writer who earned the Grand Master award from the Mystery Writers of America, has died at age eighty-two. (New York Times)
Joy Williams will publish her fifth novel, Harrow, with Knopf in September this year. This will be her first novel published in more than twenty years. (Literary Hub)
