advance blurbs for The Write Life

Some delightful back cover blurbs have come in for my next nonfiction book, The Write Crowd:Literary Citizenship & The Writing Life, forthcoming in Dec ’14 from Bloomsbury:

"Lori A. May's The Write Crowd reminds us that writing need not be such a lonely life, solitary as it is. The literary universe provides limitless opportunities to help other writers, meet other writers, and support one another. Type an e-mail, review a book, start a reading series, form your own small press: help keep literature alive and strengthen your own connections and understanding. An indispensable book for those new to writing careers and a valuable reminder for those who've faced the blank page for years and years."
-- Dinty W. Moore, Professor and Director of Creative Writing, Ohio University, and author of The Mindful Writer

"A thoughtful, much-needed exploration of the relationship between the individual writing life and the larger community of writers and readers. Lori A. May draws from her own experience and that of many other writers and editors to offer a comprehensive view of the necessary phenomenon we only recently have come to call literary citizenship. The Write Crowd offers specific and authentic ways--some quick and simple, others a greater investment--through which writers can be strong literary citizens."
-- Anna Leahy, Associate Professor of English, Chapman University, and author of Constituents of Matter, editor of Power and Identity in the Creative Writing Classroom, and editor of TAB: The Journal of Poetry & Poetics

Available December 2014 from Bloomsbury
Pre-order on Amazon

For more info, visit www.loriamay.com/writecrowd.html

*** 

The Write Crowd: Literary Citizenship & The Writing Life

I’m delighted to share this news: my next nonfiction book, The Write Crowd: Literary Citizenship & The Writing Life, is forthcoming in December from Bloomsbury!

Writing may be a solitary profession, but it is also one that relies on a strong sense of community. The Write Crowd offers practical tips and examples of how writers of all genres and experience levels contribute to the sustainability of the literary community, the success of others, and to their own well-rounded writing life. Through interviews and examples of established writers and community members, readers are encouraged to immerse themselves fully in the literary world and the community-at-large by engaging with literary journals, reading series and public workshops, advocacy and education programs, and more.

In contemporary publishing, the writer is expected to contribute outside of her own writing projects. Editors and publishers hope to see their writers active in the community, and the public benefits from a more personal interaction with authors. Yet the writer must balance time and resources between deadlines, day jobs, and other commitments. The Write Crowd demonstrates how writers may engage with peers and readers, and have a positive effect on the greater community, without sacrificing writing time.

See the Table of Contents and advance blurbs here: www.loriamay.com/writecrowd.html

Available December 2014 from Bloomsbury
Pre-order on Amazon

***

literary citizenship: call for comments

Pay It Forward!

I’ve been working on a project about literary citizenship and how writers are engaging with others for the ‘greater good’ of the literary community. After all, we solitary beasts heavily rely on others in some capacity—we need encouragement, we need support—whether that is in the obvious ways of needing readers and reviewers, or in the not-so-obvious ways of needing to feel like we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.

I’ve had some truly inspiring conversations with writers, editors, reviewers—the whole lot—but I’m still curious. I’m still asking questions. So, if you feel inclined to do so, let me know what you’ve been up to, how you’ve been engaged within the community, who inspires you to be a better literary citizen, and, indeed, what does that term even mean to you?

Email me with your comments and I may be able to include them in my project. Here are a few questions to prompt your input:

• What does ‘literary citizenship’ mean to you?
• How has community engagement enhanced your overall writing life?
• Let’s face it; sometimes it takes a bit to get us showered and dressed, let alone out the door to an event. If you’re an introvert, homebody, or naturally shy person, what moves you to connect with others? Do you usually find a ‘payoff’ in making it out to a public event?
• What sort of activities do you engage in for the community-at-large that boost your writing life and impact others?
• Who has inspired you to become a better literary citizen and why?
• What sort of unique activities are taking place in your community that inspire you?
• How do you manage your time between personal creative needs and reaching out to others? Have you ever experienced burnout and how did you adjust?
• What do you hope to gain from your community of writers? Peer support? Encouragement? A sense of belonging? What else?
• If you have any innovative ways of connecting with the community-at-large, I’d love to hear about those, too!

Specific examples are most welcome, but I also enjoy generalizations on this topic. I’ll follow up any comments sent to my email, lori@loriamay.com, and I’ll let you know a bit more about this project while I’m at it.

Thanks for sharing your take!