Press 53: North Carolina Indie Publisher
Wednesday July 16, 2008
You've got to love a press that has "Really Fab Books" running at the top of their home page. Which is one of the many reasons I was pleased to learn about Press 53, a small publisher of literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. With the mainstream publishing industry about to cough up its last lung, I'm convinced these small, savvy, passionate presses are going to save the soul of American literature. (Pick up the interview with novelist Garth Stein in this month's Poets and Writers for an example of how they not only save souls, but careers.) If you've got a book that's been rejected by the corporate presses -- or you just want to discover some new good books -- read more about Press 53 and other independent presses.
Hi Ginny,
I’ve been flexing my creative muscles for years, but never in a real professional sense. Just recently I got it in my head that I’d like to try to write a screenplay. I’ve been using Scripped’s Free Screenwriting Software and so far so good, but I’m hitting a lot of roadblocks.
Scripts are so dialogue driven, I don’t know how to keep up. I love prose as you can talk in thoughts, in scenery, in imagery but in a script it’s mostly dialogue to start. Do you have any tips for someone looking to break into the screenwriting industry?
P.S. Sorry for hijacking your blog post.
I’m so glad to read this post about small presses and the problem of getting published by the big houses. Even with two well-published, well-received novels under my belt (or out on the shelves), I’m finding it challenging to secure a publisher for my third—even with the help of my fearless agent.
All I would tell unpublished writers is to keep trying. And there is no shame at all in publishing with a small press, especially for literary fiction. Some of the best writing is coming out from small presses these days.
I just bought Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market, which is, as it sounds, a real book with pages. I’m finding it easier than getting lost in the rabbit’s warren of internet information, and others may find it useful as well.
Thanks and good luck,
Sarah Van Arsdale
atlanticwritersworkshop.org