How do you choose the best material to read out-loud to an audience?
I've spent the last four years researching that question at readings around New York City, and I appreciated the debate now raging at the MFA blog about the subject. Guest blogger Anna Mendoza asks readers "I've found that some of my poems are better read aloud than read on paper, and vice versa. When at an open mike, should I present something that's funny and likely to be crowd-pleasing (even if it's somewhat shallow), or something that's more intellectually substantial but might be hard to get?" Read the responses here.
Ed Champion (happy birthday!) interviews one of the funniest writers I've read in a decade--check out 40 wonderful minutes with novelist Gary Shteyngart, with topics ranging from fat lit to 21st century satire. "Writers are like doctors, they are always on call," the good man says.
Over at his funny, funny blog, Stanley Bing opens the floodgates for airport storytelling. 63 people jumped in already, add your travel story today. Dig it!
Publishing Spotted collects the best of what's around on writing blogs after my week-long vacation. Feel free to send tips and suggestions to your fearless editor: jason [at] thepublishingspot.com.
Thanks for directing me to Bing's blog. I haven't read him in years, but absolutely loved the columns he used to write for Esquire. Perusing his blog, I see he's still on top of his business-irreverent game.
Posted by: Pete | August 7, 2007 12:50 PM | Permalink to Comment