Bad news for writers: shyness can’t be cured. Good news for writers: shyness makes us more creative.
Don’t Shy Away
Rejection Romanticized
Recommended Reading: Kavita Das on why writers shouldn’t romanticize rejection. “Not only is it harder for writers of color to get published, but when rejecting our work, publishers tell us that what we’re writing about is too narrow and niche and won’t appeal to mainstream audiences.” Our own Bill Morris writes about the sorry state of rejection letters and literary magazine editors take your questions about them.
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Don’t Look at Me
If you go up to the Internet at a party and say hi, don’t feel offended if it scowls and turns away. The truth is, the Internet just has a thing for introverts.
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Lerner on Berger
Recommended Listening: Ben Lerner stops by The New Yorker’s fiction podcast to discuss “Woven, Sir,” a story by John Berger.
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NYPL Forgives Late Fees
The New York Public Library is granting amnesty to 143,000 kids’ late fees. $1 will be knocked off each kid’s fee for every 15 minutes they spend in the library’s Summer Reading Program.
Research Bunker in NYC
The New York Public Library’s research collection will be moving to an impressive concrete bunker beneath Bryant Park (instead of the much protested option—New Jersey). Our own Michael Bourne writes about how the subway car, once a rolling library, is transitioning to digital.
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