Launch Reading ISBN 1-894773-16-0 |
First Writes Language Arts – Anthology – Literary Criticism It’s one thing to sign on for the long and lonely apprenticeship that is the life of a writer; most writers have, or eventually develop, a certain talent for that kind of solitude. But when it comes time to approaching publishers, and, if accepted, embarking on contract negotiation, editing, launching, and publicizing that first book, the experience of crossing the line from private to public space can be daunting — even overwhelming. The editors of this anthology have survived their first-time publishing experiences. Afterward, they found themselves asking: With all the books out there about how to be an effective writer, why hasn’t somebody published a book about this transition? First Writes explores the trepidations and triumphs of becoming a published author. In it, Canadian writers describe their “first writes” experiences by writing openly, sometimes scathingly, and often hilariously, of their expectations and insecurities, humiliations and triumphs at every stage of publication. In this collection, novelists, playwrights, poets, filmmakers, and short story writers offer anecdotes, musings, and reminiscences on the often bewildering process of having a first book published. For those who have published, there will be pangs of recognition; for those who are hoping to publish, it will certainly provide a rough idea of the road ahead, and the knowledge that when you embark on it, you’re not alone. Less a manual than a companion, it is the kind of book authors wish they could have consulted when they faced their own “first writes.” Contributors
Valerie Weiss |
© 2008 The Banff Centre