Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today’s stories:

The New York Times discusses the current state of fiction reviews and why novelists fear writing negative reviews [2] will adversely impact their careers.

Beth Kephart examines outward-reaching narratives [3] in select memoirs while addressing the universal power of shared experiences. (Millions)

Maya Angelou to receive the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation [4], which honors the author and poet for her contributions to the literary community. (Huffington Post)

Author Nina Schuyler discusses her novel [5], The Translator, and the complexities of emotional renewal, strong female protagonists, and becoming attached to one's characters. (Rumpus)

The New Yorker recommends a list of notable books [6] to look out for this September.

Ploughshares offers a writing lesson on why the idea of a perfect first draft is a literary delusion [7].

Two Harvard seniors delve into the disappearing world of zines [8] and discover what self-publishing meant before the digital age. (Harvard Gazette)