Trend reversal used to promote new tv show

While book publishers are quickly embracing video to sell books, with movie-style trailers and vook conversions, in a reversal of the trent A&E releases the pilot script of their new series “The Glades” to promote the show. In partnership with Barnes & Noble, you can get a free copy of the script for the first episode at select B&N stores and as digital downloads at B&N.com, the A&E website and Facebook.

As clever an idea as it is, in this case I don’t think it works. “The Glades” is yet another site-specific crime procedural, this one set in South Florida. While some of the many procedurals that are currently on the air are embraced by viewers, they usual do so because they possess a distinctive character and visual style. Reading the script, which features a caiman as a plot device, a predictable twist and an obvious display of product placement, it is very hard to imagine what this show will look and feel like. As written it did not feel enticing enough to make me want to watch it.

On the other hand A&E should be praised for trying something markedly different to stand out. I almost wish that instead of another cop show this promotional idea was used to sell a show set in a bookstore instead.

Snow White retold by Neil Gaiman in Snow, Glass, Apples

Continuing with stories told from a new perspective. Here is the full text of Neil Gaiman’s Snow, Glass, Apples - the story of Snow White from the point of view of the stepmother. This will knock the Disney version from your brain. You will never see Snow White in the same way again. Get it for your Kindle here. Or check out the audio drama below featuring: 

Bebe Neuwirth as the Queen

Martin Carey as the Huntsman

Mark Evans as the Prince

Kate Simses as the Princess

Nick Wyman as the King 

Bebe Neuwirth as the Queen Martin Carey as the Huntsman Mark Evans as the Prince Kate Simses as the Princess Nick Wyman as the King PS. I don't own this audiobook

Final part. Thanks for watching, I hope you enjoyed it

Heartless: The Story of the Tin Man

New points of view on beloved stories are always hard to pull off. They can enhance what we love or completely reframe and change the story in ways we do not like (Star Wars comes to mind.) This short film is a beautiful and clever production full of wit. And it does a wonderful job of complimenting The Wizard of Oz.

TBWA\Chiat\Day wins two Grand Prix for the fantastic Gatorade 'Replay'

via realtimecannes.com

Ten rules for writing fiction continued

Zadie Smith

1 When still a child, make sure you read a lot of books. Spend more time doing this than anything else.

2 When an adult, try to read your own work as a stranger would read it, or even better, as an enemy would.

3 Don’t romanticise your “vocation”. You can either write good sentences or you can’t. There is no “writer’s lifestyle”. All that matters is what you leave on the page.

4 Avoid your weaknesses. But do this without telling yourself that the things you can’t do aren’t worth doing. Don’t mask self-doubt with contempt.

5 Leave a decent space of time between writing something and editing it.

6 Avoid cliques, gangs, groups. The presence of a crowd won’t make your writing any better than it is.

7 Work on a computer that is disconnected from the ­internet.

8 Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you.

9 Don’t confuse honours with achievement.

10 Tell the truth through whichever veil comes to hand – but tell it. Resign yourself to the lifelong sadness that comes from never ­being satisfied.

via guardian.co.uk

More advice via the link.