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Ploughshares is the award-winning non-profit literary magazine based at Emerson College in Boston. Most of our print issues are guest-edited, and our mission is to present varying viewpoints. Our blog is an extension of our print publication, and so we feature writing from guest-bloggers. We present their opinions to our readers in order to foster a lively discussion, but do not necessarily endorse all viewpoints published on our blog.
Comments: We moderate all comments on this blog, both to prevent spammers and keep the conversation civil. Comments will be published whether they agree or disagree with the post, as long as they are expressed respectfully and without personally attacking the author or other commenters.
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Monthly Archives: February 2012
Five Books That Changed How I Think About Writing
The best books I’ve read haven’t just been good: they’ve changed the way I think about writing, they’ve challenged what I think a book can and should do, they’ve encouraged me to go back to older texts and read them … Continue reading
The Ploughshares AWP Book Review Competition
There won’t be any book reviews on the blog this week, mostly because we think you should all be at AWP in Chicago instead, buying—and attending readings of—as many books as you can. More importantly, though, if you happen to … Continue reading
Posted in Book Reviews
Tagged Andrew Ladd, AWP, Blog Book Review Competition, Book Reviews, Chicago, Competition
1 Comment
William Giraldi
William Giraldi’s short story, “Hold the Dark,” appears in our Winter 2011-12 issue, guest edited by Alice Hoffman. “Hold the Dark” opens with this passage: The wolves came down from the hills and carried away the children of Chinook. The … Continue reading
One Man’s Approach to Writing Women Characters
“How do you write women so well? “I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability.” – As Good As It Gets. The above, often-cited quote about how to write female characters is quite funny, but at … Continue reading
Posted in Guest Bloggers
Tagged fiction, Guest Bloggers, men writing women, Thomas Lee, women characters
11 Comments
A Ploughshares Guide to #AWP12 Chicago
AWP 2012 in Chicago is fast approaching, and boy, are we excited! AWP is an annual conference organized by Associated Writing Programs where writers, small and big presses, literary magazines, and writing programs gather to talk about writing, reading, and … Continue reading
Posted in Events, News, Ploughshares News
Tagged 2012, AWP, Chicago, conference, Events, panel, Ploughshares
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Picking Up Where They Leave Off… an Interview with Randy Testa
Last week, I wrote about a disturbing trend I see in children’s movies. For this week’s post, I asked Randy Testa, Vice President of Education and Professional Development at Walden Media, to share some reflections on the process of adapting … Continue reading
Posted in Guest Bloggers
Tagged books into movies, children's film, children's literature, Guest Bloggers, Rachel Kadish, Randy Testa
2 Comments
Maia Evrona
Maia Evrona translated a poem by Anna Margolin called “The Years.” It appears in our Winter 2011-12 issue, guest edited by Alice Hoffman. “The Years” opens with this line: Like women who are loved to the fullest and are still … Continue reading
Posted in Contributors' Notes
Tagged Anna Margolin, contributors, contributors' notes, Maia Evrona, poem, poetry, The Years, translation, Winter 2011-12
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Blurbese: “unflinching”
I think a lot of book reviewers were smacked as children. Some of them must have at least been bullied. How else to explain their admiration for the ability not to flinch? Just look at the first page of results … Continue reading
Things I Wish I’d Always Known
I was teaching undergraduate creative writing last fall, and toward the end of the semester a few of my students began asking me about how, exactly, one becomes a writer. They wanted to know what classes they should take, what … Continue reading
Posted in Guest Bloggers
Tagged advice, Books, Eric Weinstein, Guest Bloggers, Kurt Vonnegut
2 Comments
The Last Holiday
The Last Holiday Gil Scott-Heron Grove Press, January 2012 384 pages $25.00 “The first change that takes place is in your mind. You have to change your mind before you change the way you’re livin’ and the way you move.” … Continue reading
Posted in Book Reviews
Tagged blues, Book Reviews, Claire Blechman, Gil Scott Heron, music, poetry, prose, The Last Holiday
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