George Saunders’s Beginnings, Instagram’s Anonymous Poet, and More

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today’s stories:

In an opinion piece for the New York Times, novelist and writing teacher Trey Ellis argues against computerized evaluation of academic essays.

Bill Morris discusses the ongoing Whitney Biennial exhibit in New York City, which features many artists working with paper and language—including several pieces collected from the estate of author David Foster Wallace. (Millions)

The Huffington Post profiles the anonymous poet and Instagram sensation who writes under the nom de plume Rio Jones.

Time magazine takes a look at the personal history of Afaa Michael Weaver, who yesterday was named the winner of the $100,000 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award.

Slate looks forward to the April 1 release of I Am the Beggar of the World, a collection of folk couplets by Afghan women, translated by Eliza Griswold, accompanied by photographs of the poets’ environments.

The Guardian talks to George Saunders about his beginnings and recent success, having recently won the Story Prize and the Folio Prize.

NPR looks at book auctions in its ongoing series dedicated to first novels.