[The Accidental Life 01] • The Accidental Life

**From the legendary editor, journalist, and publishing entrepreneur: a memoir about writers, writing, editing--and the fast-paced, high-stakes life in the publishing business.**

Over the last four decades, Terry McDonell has been at the helm of some of the most influential beacons of American journalism: from his early days at *Outside* through tenures at *Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Esquire, Sports Illustrated, *and, most recently, as cofounder of LitHub. Now he tells us what really happens between editors and writers--behind the scenes and between the lines--with deadlines ticking. Here are intimate portraits of the most important (and most eccentric) journalists, novelists, and media personalities: from Hunter S. Thompson and George Plimpton to Richard Ford and James Salter; from David Carr and Steve Jobs to Jimmy Buffett and one remarkable *Sports Illustrated* swimsuit model. And here is an insider's unimpeachable advice on how to get, and keep, the best writers; what makes a great lede and headline; how to style a cover that flies off newsstands (whether or not there's a celebrity on it); how to build the online traffic that translates into dollars; and how--in whatever format--a good editor really works. From the storied past to today's tumultuous media landscape, this is an incisive, galvanizing account of the pressures, joys, and obsessions of a writing and editing life.