-
"Yes, the ending was as I planned it." Stephen Poliakoff explained the writing process behind his new thriller, Glorious 39, at his recent Waterstone's signing.
Read the interview with Stephen Poliakoff » -
"One of the most satisfying things about blogging is the immediacy. You think it up, type it out on your keyboard and then publish."
Read more from author Tim Kevan » -
You'll find us not just here, but also on Facebook. Add us to your favourites!
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
A website of one’s own…
Years ago when I was working for a publishing house that specialises in popular culture books, there was a story doing the rounds about one particular celebrity.
This singer, who was well past his pop prime (hence had time on his hands, we suspected), apparently ran his own fan club, and guarded his image so keenly that he wouldn’t Read more
Are you a copycat?
Filed under: Writing Advice
Copyright law is an issue that I get lots of questions about, and rightly so, because it can be a complicated business.
The most recent enquiry was from a gentleman who wanted advice about using an extract from another author’s work in his manuscript. This is what I told him: Read more
“It’s a no” – rejection can be swift
The hardest thing for a writer to cope with is rejection. We all pour so much of ourselves into our writing, we invest it with so many of our hopes, that it’s impossible not to take rejection as a personal blow.
So, what should you do? Partly it depends on the form of the rejection. If your work is returned to sender with the flimsiest of covering notes – ‘unfortunately we don’t believe we Read more
New interview with Kathy Lette
Our new ‘insider interview’ is with the very successful, very funny and very frank, novelist Kathy Lette.
Kathy talks about her route to getting published and her writing life now as well as offering her own brand of advice to aspiring writers, including the odd word of warning.
She talks about her experience of literary agents and Read more
Literary agent runs away screaming
Can a simple comment on a submission make a literary agent howl with horror? Yes, absolutely, according to this agent’s guest post:
Let’s start with the science bit – every day by email, post, carrier pigeon and osmosis I receive 10 unsolicited approaches from unrepresented writers out in the big wide literary firmament.
These come from all genres. There’s fiction (from coming-of-age to fin-de-siècle), non-fiction (from ‘My 38 Years As a Bank Manager’ to ‘Mucus – the bodily secretion that changed the world’), poetry (from love poetry to stalker poetry), cookery books and academic texts to verse drama – usually about earwigs taking over the world for some reason. Read more
Rule 2: Establish your goals
Filed under: Writing Advice
Many of you had lots to say on the subject of writing groups and how to find readers in response to my founding rule number one: every writer needs readers.
This month we’ll focus on rule number two, which many of you have already hinted at: establish the writing group’s goals Read more
A fantastic collection of advice
Filed under: Writing Advice
The Guardian has just published a collection of Ten rules for writing fiction from some amazing writers. They are funny, apt, and useful. I’ll have this article to hand whenever I need a pointer – and I suggest you do too.
Cressida
(Editorial consultant)
Roll up for the DIY book tour!
We often ask successful authors what else they do besides write. Writing the book is just the beginning. Well it is, if you want to get your work out there, across to the public at large, and selling in large amounts.
What’s striking is not only the many and varied things that are done in the name of promotion, but also those that aren’t generally done, but could be, if you put your mind to it.
Here are some of the things that authors have told us Read more
Found on an agent’s slush pile
Filed under: Getting Published, Literary Agents
A heartwarming tale for writers: Stephen Kelman’s book, Pigeon English, was spotted on an agent’s pile of unsolicited submissions, and went on to be hotly fought over by no fewer than 12 publishers, before being snapped up by Bloomsbury.
This story of violence on a council estate is narrated by a 12-year-old boy, and in an interview Read more
-
Buy the 2010 Yearbook
The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook is available at a discounted price from our online bookshop. Get all the info, contacts and advice you could need.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 »