Literary Loss and Solidarity in L.A.

In the wake of the California wildfires, literary community members grieve the loss of public spaces and personal archives, and reflect on the creative relief efforts that offer hope.
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In the wake of the California wildfires, literary community members grieve the loss of public spaces and personal archives, and reflect on the creative relief efforts that offer hope.
Writing a book is a daunting challenge—but the texts we know and love can help. A nonfiction writer describes how a methodically organized spreadsheet of favorite quotes aided her journey from proposal to finished memoir.
Drawing on recommendations from industry veterans, one of our senior editors interviews six agents who reflect the best of a new cohort of talent, each with a vision for evolving the industry and a profound investment in their writers.
A writer discusses the impact of perceived literary success on her marriage to another writer, drawing attention to the domestic and quotidian labor behind the privilege of being able to pursue one’s creative dreams.
Novelist and graphic designer Peter Mendelsund describes embracing imperfection through the creative practice of painting, including using his nondominant hand, smearing the paint with a trowel, and flipping the canvas.
The range of potential agents can feel overwhelming to someone just starting out; a senior agent at the Transatlantic Agency shares her tips for connecting with someone who will stand by your work with commitment and thoughtfulness.
Artificial intelligence has irrevocably changed the paradigm of publishing. A journalist and editor speaks to agents about their thoughts on AI in a professional context, raising questions about contracts, rights, and the nature of art.
It’s a stranger time than ever to exist online. An experienced agent at Frances Goldin advises anxious writers to focus on craft and not let cultivating an online following get in the way of writing the strongest manuscript possible.
For decades, the International Writing Program in Iowa City facilitated transformative connections for its resident writers—but the loss of funding worth nearly a million dollars challenges staff and students to find ways to keep going.
In this PBS Independent Lens documentary codirected by Dawn Logsdon, who also narrates, and Lucie Faulknor, the history of public libraries is uncovered, from the quiet revolutionaries who opened these doors to all, to today’s librarians who service the public in an age of closures and book bans. “Libraries are not just about books. They’re about people, and they’re about stories.”