Writers' Roundup: March 26

If you’re new here, Writers’ Roundup is a weekly Friday feature with links to blog posts, news stories, etc. about writing, travel, journalism and anything else I find useful and entertaining. It’s the best of my Google Reader and Twitter links!

What have I found this week?

• On the evolving role of the travel writer: “It is not enough anymore simply to describe a landscape; we must root out its meanings.” At World Hum. (Via Write to Travel.)

• Follow the Reader has a cool interview with a social media consultant on Building Reader Communities.

• Will endorsements really help sell your book? Chip MacGregor gives tips on which endorsements to go after and which to forget.

• Writer Abroad says what needs to be said: You’ve gotta make your own luck.

• A great piece on the future newsroom: lean, open and social-media savvy. From Mashable.

• Travel bloggers: TBEX, or Travel Blog Exchange, is holding its annual weekend event July 26-27 in New York City. Looks like some cool panels and guests — might be worth attending.

• At Guide to Literary Agents, author James Dashner chimes in with 7 Things I’ve Learned So Far — one of the best so far in the series. Networking is key to getting breaks in publishing, he says. And, I’d say, in life.

• How long will it take to land an agent? Get your first book contract? See your first check? Literary agent Rachelle Gardner has the answers.

• Remember Reading Rainbow? It’s back… Once again, GalleyCat has the goods.

• At Getting Past the Gatekeeper, an anonymous literary agent has good ideas about strategic querying.

I’m in D.C. for a few weeks, scouting jobs and places to live. Hoping to make the move permanent soon! Will keep you posted.