WORDS

How To Become The Queen Of Romantasy

Simply generate "the raw fiber of old myths woven into new stories, processed through the internet, refined into audiobooks, ... which drive fans back to bookstores, where they can buy a keepsake hardcover" and, if they're lucky, "drink themed cocktails in ACOTAR-inspired ball gowns at midnight." - The Atlantic

It’s ‘Stop Giving Literary Prizes To Stories With AI Flags’ Time, Again

"That this narrator has all the personality of a chatbot is probably not coincidental." Ouch.  - The Atlantic

Book Publishers Are Using More AI Behind The Scenes, And Workers Are Furious

"Publishers are now using LLMs like Claude and ChatGPT to email literary agents, write publicity and back-cover copy, design cover art, and generate marketing materials, often at the direction of their executives." - Wired

The New Cold Tip For Used Books: Freeze Them

But, alert: "there’s more to freezing a book than just tossing it next to the ice cream." - The New York Times

Michelangelo’s Handwriting Has Been Made Into A New Typeface

The font, called Michelangelus, is the result of a collaboration between Microsoft and the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the Vatican entity responsible for the preservation and upkeep of St. Peter’s Basilica. - Il Messagero (Italy) (in English)

The Minimalist Anne Carson

Translation is Carson’s primary art form. One way to describe it is as the art of sustained metaphor: a word in one language is similar, but not identical, to a word in another language. - The New Yorker

Inside The Book Review Problem

The little magazines can start to fill the review void. Each can, at the minimum, review five new novels in an issue. These reviews needn’t be overly long, or challenge the critic to consume every word the writer has ever written. - Political Currents

Frankfurt Book Fair: State Of The Publishing Industry

Declining turnover, a rise in reading in the original language, second-hand book sales and the shift to audio and digital subscription models were all “putting pressure on the profitability of the sector.” - The Bookseller

Pangram Says Use Of Its AI Detector Is Increasing

Many still dispute the validity and accuracy of AI detection tools. The Atlantic’s Matteo Wong wrote that “while Pangram is accumulating the power to end reputations and careers, the tool does make mistakes, perhaps to a greater extent than is currently understood”. - Bookseller

Why Annie Dillard Deserved A Nobel

She deserved the prize, first of all, as the major practitioner of literary nonfiction. The committee has historically overlooked this genre. - 3 Quarks Daily

The Growing Popularity Of Audiobook Walking Clubs

Audiobook walking clubs are now emerging around the country, turning an activity typically enjoyed solo into a low-pressure social event. For about an hour, everyone listens to a book of their choosing as they walk, then gathers afterward to compare notes, trade recommendations, and—in many cases—make plans to see each other again. - Time

Anne Carson Wins 2026 Nobel Prize For Literature

The Canadian poet, essayist, and translator of ancient Greek drama was cited “for her bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature.” - AP

Behind The Scenes: How They Choose The Winner Of The Nobel Prize For Literature

The Swedish Academy does not discuss the criteria it uses for selecting Nobel laureates, but here are the basics of how the process works. - Deutsche Welle

What MacKenzie Scott Bezos’ Serialized Book Says About How Amazon Has Changed Publishing

The former wife of a man who built a notorious empire by making other people’s books ever easier to buy and, eventually, ever easier to produce has herself produced a novel that seems to have stepped directly into the literary territory that Amazon helped make so fertile. - The New Yorker

Finalists For This Year’s National Book Awards

The winners in each of the five categories—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, and young people's literature—will be announced at an awards ceremony on November 18. - Publishers Weekly

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