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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 5h

"Rejection can be instructive, but only if you listen to what it’s trying to teach you. Otherwise, you will probably just keep taking rejection all wrong. So what lessons have I learned?" www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...? #WritingCommunity

‘Stay true to yourself – and fly closer to the sun’: what I’ve learned from 50 years of rejection

As a writer, I have been rejected thousands of times, and it initially led to shock, denial and anger. Then I accepted it. Here’s what you can gain from doing so too

www.theguardian.com

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 23h

Obligatory reading for readers and writers. How to safeguard independent publishers? They’re invaluable, taking “risks on books that have been ignored by the wider industry, launch careers and spark stylistic innovation”! #WritingCommunity
www.thebookseller.com/comment/open... #WritingCommunity

Open letter on the future of small press publishing in the UK

The industry must work together to ensure the longevity of the UK’s independent presses.

www.thebookseller.com

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Reposted by Valeria Vescina

Women Writers Network @womenwritersnet.bsky.social · 1d

Our next #WomenWritersNet #AuthorInterview will be on Thursday 23 October. We’re excited to hear all about Stephanie‘s book, The Fire In Their Eyes @brethertonwords.bsky.social
Please join us. @valeriavescina.bsky.social will be hosting and everyone will have the chance to ask questions.

Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 1d

Hugely looking forward to interviewing @brethertonwords.bsky.social for our @womenwritersnet.bsky.social live #AuthorInterview of 23 October. SAVE THE DATE and join us as Stephanie tells us about her award-winning new novel, #TheFireInTheirEyes (@Breakthroughbooks.bsky.social)! #writing #reading

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Reposted by Valeria Vescina

Stephanie Bretherton @brethertonwords.bsky.social · 1d

Oooh, excited! But also a little bit nervous… though I know these are a lovely lot. Just not sure how quickly and sensibly I can type some proper answers! Why don’t you tune in and find out?

Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 1d

Hugely looking forward to interviewing @brethertonwords.bsky.social for our @womenwritersnet.bsky.social live #AuthorInterview of 23 October. SAVE THE DATE and join us as Stephanie tells us about her award-winning new novel, #TheFireInTheirEyes (@Breakthroughbooks.bsky.social)! #writing #reading

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 1d

What? Pics of snow, already?! ❄️ Yes: dates for the diary! 📆 The first of my three 2026 #writingretreats in the Swiss Alps will run from 1 to 7 March. To learn more about it: valeriavescina.com/teaching/wri... #writingretreat #WritingCommunity #writing #books #writerslife

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 1d

Hugely looking forward to interviewing @brethertonwords.bsky.social for our @womenwritersnet.bsky.social live #AuthorInterview of 23 October. SAVE THE DATE and join us as Stephanie tells us about her award-winning new novel, #TheFireInTheirEyes (@Breakthroughbooks.bsky.social)! #writing #reading

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Reposted by Valeria Vescina

Women Writers Network @womenwritersnet.bsky.social · 2d

A ‘clearsighted and passionate exploration of the craft of memoir writing’
Wonderful review of Into Being by @lilydunn.bsky.social We can’t wait to get our hands on a copy. It sounds like essential reading for all memoirists.
#WomenWritersNet
www.rte.ie/culture/2025...

Book Of The Week: Exploring the radical craft of memoir

Towards the end of her clearsighted and passionate exploration of the craft of memoir writing, author Lily Dunn quotes memoirists she has interviewed for the book.

www.rte.ie

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Reposted by Valeria Vescina

European Writers Salon @saloneurope.bsky.social · 2d

✨ONLINE COURSE✨

Following the success of Julie’s Prose Poetry Workshop, we’re delighted to bring you our first longer course:

Exploring Poetic Concepts and Forms: A Poetry Workshop Series

Poster for course
Same details also in text

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Reposted by Valeria Vescina

Women Writers Network @womenwritersnet.bsky.social · 2d

We love it that the Christopher Bland Prize recognises debut novelists and non-fiction writers over 50. Not all of us are spring chickens 😁 Now open for entries.
#WomenWritersNet

Royal Society of Literature @rsliterature.bsky.social · 4d

The 2026 Christopher Bland Prize is now open for entry 🏆

Closing 5pm on Friday 5 December 2025: https://rsliterature.org/rsl-christopher-bland-prize/

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Reposted by Valeria Vescina

Naomi Baker @drnaomibaker.bsky.social · 2d

One of the most daring theological works of the C17th, published by Elizabeth Avery in 1647. It reconsiders every mainstream Protestant teaching about the apocalypse, and caused her to be denounced as a heretic, including by her own brother. I tell Avery’s story in Voices of Thunder #earlymodern

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 2d

An informative and useful Substack article by @TheLincoln.bsky.social. "One thing writers should understand is how publishers sell books. Publishers do not sell books to readers per se. They sell to accounts."

To Understand What Books Are Published, You Must Understand How Books Are Sold

Plus cyborg baseball and the Anthropic AI author settlement info

countercraft.substack.com

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 2d

Hi Laura, registration is still open. Only the one-on-one sessions are sold out.

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Reposted by Valeria Vescina

Women Writers Network @womenwritersnet.bsky.social · 4d

What do you do when all you've ever wanted to do is write but your life is just too busy? Our very own Liz Champion is struggling with this dilemma.
Read her Substack, Midlife without a Map. Touching, funny, honest.

lizchampion.substack.com/p/my-life-is...

My life is not working

I need to make a change

lizchampion.substack.com

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Reposted by Valeria Vescina

Madeleine F White @madeleinefwhite.bsky.social · 3d

Today's fab Showcase features:
Poetry from Mary herself, Lesley Forward, Bejamin Doteh, Natalie and fiction from Caroline Burrows.
Read the full showcase: pentoprint.org/showcase-bab...
#WritingCommunity #WednesdayMotivation #WriterWednesday #AmWriting #PoetryCommunity

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 3d

Registration for the @genevawriters.bsky.social Conference is now open. One of very few writers' conferences in Continental Europe, it takes place every two years. I attended the last one, and it was superb! genevawriters.org/gwg-conferen... #WritingCommunity #writing #writerslife

GWG Conference 2025

genevawriters.org

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 3d

Looking for a tutored #writingretreat? I’m holding three in the Alps in 2026: in March, June and September. To learn more and to book: valeriavescina.com/teaching/wri... #writing #WritingCommunity #writingworkshop #holidays #writingcourse #writersretreat #writingadvice #writingtips #writerslife

Writing Retreats

Hasliberg – view from the lounge Creative writing retreats in idyllic Switzerland 7 – 13 September 2025 – completed 1 – 7 March 2026 14 – 20 June 2026 6 – 12 Sep…

valeriavescina.com

Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 4d

Sometimes, a truly 'miraculous' #shortstory comes along! Such is 'The Stone' by Louise Erdrich on the @newyorker.com Fiction podcast. And how sensitively read and discussed by author Karen Russell in conversation with Deborah Treisman! Highly recommended. #reading

Karen Russell Reads Louise Erdrich

On the Fiction Podcast, Karen Russell joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Stone,” by Louise Erdrich, which was published in The New Yorker in 2019.

www.newyorker.com

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 4d

An article with links to fascinating research! #womenwriters #womenshistory @brethertonwords.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...?

Was prehistory a feminist paradise?

Visions of matriarchal utopia may be wishful thinking, but there’s growing evidence of women wielding power

www.theguardian.com

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 5d

Looking forward to reading @lilydunn.bsky.social’s “Into Being”, which launches today, live on Substack at 7 pm BST! #writing #memoir

Manchester University Press @manchesterup.bsky.social · 22d

Join us next month as @lilydunn.bsky.social hits the road next month to launch her new book, 'Into being', sharing the secrets of writing memoir.

Coming to a bookshop, festival or university near you, visit our Events page for more info and tickets: manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/events #booksky

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 5d

Thank you, @drnaomibaker.bsky.social. 👏 It really is vital for a wide public to be aware of the path by which we get to real conquests - not just to fully appreciate these, but also not to take them for granted.

Naomi Baker @drnaomibaker.bsky.social · 8d

As the first female Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed, it’s worth remembering that dissenting women were preaching to mixed sex congregations in London as early as 1645. My book Voices of Thunder has a whole section on 17th-century “she-preachers”

#earlymodern

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 6d

Well done for having the first draft! Such an important milestone. 👏 Editing tends to take longer than writing the first draft, so it helps to think of it as something to be expected and enjoyed. It’s an integral part of the creative process. 💪

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 6d

… and #Autumn has come to the Swiss Alps. Never seen so many varieties of mushrooms on one walk. Here are just four types. We didn’t pick any, as we don’t know anything about mushrooms, but they were beautiful to look at.

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 6d

Yearning for a #writingretreat to kickstart your #writing or to breathe new energy into a work in progress? Here is a glimpse into my retreats – in participants’ own words. Come and join me in March, June, or September 2026! valeriavescina.com/2025/01/27/a... #WritingCommunity #writingworkshop

A writing retreat in the Swiss Alps

Here’s a post to give you a flavour of the writing retreats in the Bernese Oberland. I’ve run several retreats in this spectacular corner of the world, and it’s where I’ll be hosting future ones. T…

valeriavescina.com

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 7d

I loved reading this. The discovery of layers and layers of historical details hidden in and underneath legal documents has also been my experience, while researching and writing my second novel, which is set in sixteenth-century Italy. #writing #earlymodern

Dr Laura Sangha (@lsangha.bsky.social)

I really liked the fact that Dylan chose to research a 'boring' will from our collection - one with very few personal or sentimental bequests. As you will read, even wills like this contain a lot of…

bsky.app

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Valeria Vescina @valeriavescina.bsky.social · 7d

Good luck with your search!

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