Around the Web: The Hugo Awards, Forgotten Books, Advice from Ray Bradbury, and Twitter Threads and
Hello everyone and welcome back to Around the Web, the blog series where I share some of the most interesting, fun, or helpful things I’ve read around the internet this week.
The Hugo Awards
As many of you may know, the Hugo Awards were announced on Sunday. N.K. Jemisin won a unprecedented third consecutive award for best novel. If you’re a fan of hers or of SFF, check out her acceptance speech in which she discusses overcoming marginalization, setbacks, and rejections to claim a rightful seat at the literary table. It’s an empowering speech that speaks of hope even amidst all the hardships of today’s political climate.
Tracking Down Forgotten Books
If you’ve ever remembered a minor detail about a book and wondered “What’s that book…?” then you may be interested in Atlas Obscura’s article on the librarians who hunt down forgotten books based on vague descriptions using shared knowledge, keyword searches, and various databases.
Writing Advice from Ray Bradbury
August 22 marked Ray Bradbury’s 98th birthday. In celebration of the Fahrenheit 451 author, Lit Hub published Bradbury's “greatest writing advice.” This advice includes things to avoid, habits to create, where to find inspiration and much more. Worth taking a glance at if you’re looking for a little writerly wisdom.
Twitter Threads
Your engagement with social media can help your writing career, but it’s important to remember that social media is meant for conversations. In this insightful essay on Twitter threads, fiction writer A.H. Reaume talks about how Canadian writers are using Twitter to address marginalization and power structures in Canadian literature. She argues that Twitter essays are a valid alternative to long-form writing and traditional news outlets. While there’s definitely value in sharing your opinions in Twitter essay form, I would add that there’s also a lot of value in using social media to listen and learn about the communities you’re a part of.
Hashtags
Speaking of Twitter…
Twitter hashtags are a fun way to engage in writing related conversations. Check out Publishing Talk's list of twitter hashtags for writers to get started.
That’s it for now, folks. Hope you’ve been having a fantastic week and remember to share your favourite links in the comments.