-
-
Insider tip
How to Get an Agent: "Follow your instinct – more often than not it will be right." » Read more on securing the services of a good agent by Philippa Milnes-Smith-
You'll find us not just here, but also on Facebook.
Winner of the 2010 Short Story Competition
Filed under: Competitions and Offers
At last, after weeks of deliberating, we’ve decided on a winner for the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook short story competition 2010.
We had well over 1,000 entries for this year’s competition, on the theme of ‘unity’ or ‘union’ and, as usual, standards were high – very high.
Stories were varied and subjects ranged from property issues between England and Wales, to conjoined twins, cloning and Read more
Every single word matters
Filed under: Authors and Books, Festivals and Events
Writers and readers of this site should be interested in a project called 26:50 – a number-fixated title for a writing project, but there is a reason.
It’s a collaboration between the writers’ group 26 (I declare an interest as a founder) and International PEN, the worldwide community of writers that champions freedom of expression.
PEN campaigns for writers who have been persecuted, imprisoned and sometimes murdered for their words. Among those they’ve represented are Vaclav Havel, Salman Rushdie and Read more
First novel, first book deal
Filed under: Authors and Books, Getting Published
What’s it like getting that first, all-important book deal? Guest blogger Laura Jane Cassidy, a 23-year-old writer from Ireland, explains:
My most treasured childhood books all have little puffins on their spines. Roald Dahl’s stories sparked my love of fiction and Eoin Colfer’s adventures kept me reading through my early teens.
So when my agent called last August to tell me that Puffin Ireland had offered me a book deal for my first novel Read more
Rule 3: Learn from others
Filed under: Writing Advice
This is the third in a series of posts about writing groups:
Discovering what type of writers’ group you’d like to be part of (Rule 1) and setting your goals (Rule 2) will help your meetings be productive, rather than excuses for gathering and commiserating about the state of the world, one’s parking tickets, or intentions to write the next bestseller.
Learn from others…
A writers’ group can also be a wonderful two-way platform where Read more
Working under pressure
Filed under: Festivals and Events, Writing Advice
At the recent Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook conference, we heard a fascinating talk from Julie Myerson about how she got published, and how she works.
She felt the impetus to get started on her first novel when she had two small children and was pregnant with her third. She was also working. Overall – not ideal! But the urge to write Read more
Fridge magnet poetry
Here’s an intelligent post on jargon, courtesy of a copywriting friend of mine who recalls painful memories of working for charities where interminable meetings – and jargon – sapped his will to live.
Take a look at that list of words that public sector officials should avoid using. Incredible. Read more
“Make me forget I’m reading a book”
Our guest literary agent explains what he wants from a manuscript submission. It may surprise you…
Once I get through the hyperbole and overblown salesmanship of most covering letters, it is all about my relationship to the prose.
In the case of fiction (which it usually is) I am looking for a voice. Simple as that.
I am not so concerned about Read more
Questions from the conference
Filed under: Festivals and Events, Writing Advice
I went along to the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook inaugural conference on Saturday, and it was great to meet so many writers, all buzzing with ideas and creativity.
As I listened to the speakers, and the questions being asked, I noted down a few topics I thought I would cover later in blog posts. So – in no particular order, look out for Read more
‘How to Get Published’ conference
A big thank you to everyone who joined us for the first ever Writers’ & Artists’ conference and for making the day such a success! I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did and we’ll be adding some news and views from the conference here soon.
Best wishes,
Claire
(Publisher, Yearbooks)
Update: Blogger Liz De Jager has written up her take on the day’s events – see Write Up On WAY Conference.
Must you write?
Filed under: Authors and Books, Writing Advice
This is the 2nd in a series of guest posts from Thomas E. Kennedy, each focusing on questions that have empowered him – and could also empower you – as a writer.
Q: Must you write?
Thomas E. Kennedy: This is a question that I learned to ask myself from the great Austrian poet R. M. Rilke from his marvellous Letters to a Young Poet (there is a photograph of Marilyn Monroe reading it by the way).
What Rilke said to the young poet he was mentoring was, ask yourself, ‘Must I write?’
If your answer is no, you have gained important self-knowledge; if you are able to quit writing, perhaps you Read more
Buy the 2011 Yearbook
The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook is available at a discount from our online bookshop. Get all the information, contacts and advice you could need.-
Win, Win, Win! We are giving away 5 copies of Qatari Voices, a collection of essays which will inspire new writers. For details of how to enter this giveaway go to 'The Accidental Writer' >
On camera: Jon McGregor
"Being longlisted for the Booker Prize changed everything - it was the launchpad for my writing career." Click to view our video with novelist Jon McGregor »
On camera: Justin Cartwright
"Just write... If you're any good you may not know it, but certainly someone else will." Click to view our video with novelist Justin Cartwright »
On camera: Julie Myerson
The novelist and journalist Julie Myerson on how she got that all-important first publishing deal. Click here to view our video exclusive »