THE UNPROFESSIONALIZATION OF WRITING: DWINDLING EARNINGS AND THE FUTURE OF AUTHORS

When I started thinking about today’s post, I had a certain feeling of déjà vu. Checking previous posts I found one of January 2014 titled “Underpaid and Overrated Authors: Hierarchical Reading in the Age of Globalization” in which I discussed an article published in The Guardian according to which, as the title reads, “Most writers […]

ON THE USE OF SECONDARY SOURCES IN LITERARY RESEARCH: HOW FAR BACK CAN WE GO?

When I introduce second-year students to the basics of writing academic papers and they submit their first paper proposal (title, 100-abstract, 3-item valid academic bibliography) I warn them to use only post-1995 bibliography (perhaps I should update that to 21st century bibliography?). As I explain, even though in the paper they can use older sources, […]

READING A LONG NOVEL SERIES (FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES): THE EXPANSE

I’m returning to James S.A. Corey’s The Expanse, which I discussed two posts ago, this time to reflect on the strategies required to face such a long read for academic purposes.             Whereas mainstream and literary novels are usually published as stand-alone volumes, series abound in genre fiction. They are sometimes bound by the presence […]