The Accidental Life: An Editor's Notes on Writing and Writers

The Accidental Life: An Editor's Notes on Writing and Writers

An Amazon Best Book of 2016

A celebration of the writing and editing life, as well as a look behind the scenes at some of the most influential magazines in America (and the writers who made them what they are).
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You might not know Terry McDonell, but you certainly know his work. Among the magazines he has top-edited: Outside, Rolling Stone, Esquire,Â andÂ Sports Illustrated.Â In this revealing memoir, McDonell talks about what really happens when editors and writers work with deadlines ticking (or drinks on the bar). His stories about the people and personalities heâ€™s known are both heartbreaking and bitingly funnyâ€”playing â€œacid golfâ€ with Hunter S. Thompson, practicing brinksmanship with David Carr and Steve Jobs, working the European fashion scene with Liz Tilberis, pitching TV pilots with Richard Price.

Here, too, is an expertâ€™s practical advice on how to recruitâ€”and keepâ€”high-profile talent; what makes a compelling lede; how to grow online traffic that translates into dollars; and how, in whatever format, on whatever platform, a good editor really works, and what it takes to write well.

Taking us from the raucous days of New Journalism to todayâ€™s digital landscape, McDonell argues that the need for clear storytelling from trustworthy news sources has never been stronger. Says Jeffrey Eugenides: â€œEvery time I run into Terry, I think how great it would be to have dinner with him. Hear about the writers he's known and edited over the years, what the magazine business was like back then, how it's changed and where it's going, inside info about Edward Abbey, Jim Harrison, Annie Proulx, old New York, and the Swimsuit issue. That dinner is this book.â€
Country USA
Manufacturer Vintage
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2016-08-02
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Vintage
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2016-08-02
Format	Kindle eBook

The Accidental Life: An Editor's Notes on Writing and Writers

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