Friday Fridge Clean-Out: February 19th Edition

► Brevity's new issue is up. If you aren't familiar with this excellent online journal of sparsely rich nonfiction (essays are all under 750 words), you're missing something.

►In this two-minute video, two editors at the Associated Press advise PR folks about pitching their clients' stories. However, everything they say is equally relevant for writers interested in querying an AP editor with a story proposal. In fact, I'd watch this before calling or writing an email to any editor.

►RIP Dick Francis. As a horse-obsessed teenager, I was excited to discover Francis's grown-up thrillers about horses and British jockeys; a decade later, as I drove long distances to compete in and report on horse shows, I listened to his audio books. Many were narrated by The Mentalist's Simon Baker, in his native Brit accent, and they went down easy.

►RIP Lucille Clifton. Long ago, when I didn't think much of poetry (alas, sorry!), it was individual poets whose work I began to notice and like, which convinced me of my folly. Clifton was one of them. Nowadays when someone complains, "I just can't get into reading poetry," I always answer: "Forget poetry. Find a poet to like."

► Maybe by now you've read this rant/lament/observation about the difficulty of building a writing career (as in one that pays). While I agree that it's tougher now than ever, I feel as if I've been reading these kinds of pieces since I was a teenager. And still, people write. Good.

► Find some time to read the new piece in Esquire about ailing film critic Roger Ebert (who can no longer speak or eat), and then Ebert's reaction to showing the world his current life – and face – as he deals with the aftermath of extensive jaw and neck surgery.

►A agent-finding trick that's oh-so-obvious once you know it, as soon-to-be nonfiction author David K. Randall, discovered.

► If you have lots of time, or a book to market, here's an extensive list of book reviewers on Twitter

►And finally, for typography geeks only – check out Show Us Your Type, an occasional online collection of type art, each time revolving around one particular city. Now up: NYC.

Have a great weekend.