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"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.
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"One of the most satisfying things about blogging is the immediacy. You think it up, type it out on your keyboard and then publish."
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Do you ‘diary forward’? I don’t.
Based on its excellent review in The Guardian the week before last, on impulse I rang and booked tickets for The Rivals at the Southwark Playhouse. It was just wonderful, and re-exposure to Mrs Malaprop (played by Celia Imrie) was a delight.
Whereas I have heard actors give the misplaced words greater emphasis, the particular pleasure of Imrie’s performance was that they simply flowed out of her, increasing the sense that the character is entirely unaware of her inappropriate vocabularly; indeed that she remains as relaxed as an ‘allegory on the banks of the Nile’.
The experience set me thinking about other examples of the infelicitous use of language. Read more
Games writers play
I run the MA in Publishing at Kingston University and was talking to academics in the Psychology department at UCL recently about the personality profile of writers – I am about to start a sustained research project on the same.
We discussed the kind of pastimes often indulged in by writers – apparently crosswords and Scrabble are particularly popular. In which case, I am a sad disappointment, as I have never liked either. What about you, do Read more
Free marketing advice: read it now!
Filed under: Marketing Yourself
If you’re a new author you’ll want people far and wide to read your book (especially after you’ve put so much serious effort into writing it!), which means you’ll also want to know how best to market it.
That’s why here at Writers & Artists we’re running a special serialisation of Alison Baverstock’s ‘Marketing Your Book’ (A&C Black), an essential read on Read more
View from the Cheltenham festival
I’ve just spent the weekend at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.
I was taking part in several events, an afternoon workshop on how to get published, a weekend workshop on managing your life as a writer, and then the launch of our new book on parenting (with Gill Hines, It’s not fair! Parenting the bright and challenging child, Piatkus).
As part of my preparation, I went through the festival programme and worked out what I could fit around my own commitments, making tough choices (eg Mark Watson or Jack Dee, cruelly scheduled at the same time).
Looking at my programme now I am amused to see that Read more
Conference for writers at Kingston University
Filed under: Festivals and Events
Alison Baverstock, our very own guest blogger, is leading a two-day writers’ conference at Kingston University 11–12 September 2009.
Alison is senior lecturer of Kingston’s Publishing MA and as well as author of several books including Is there a Book in You? and Marketing Your Book: an Author’s Guide. She’ll be supported by an impressive range of industry experts and writers including literary agent Carole Blake, Richard Charkin (executive director of Bloomsbury), authors Chris Cleave, Mary Lawson and Michael Ridpath – and many more.**
Alison says ‘if there’s a book in you – but Read more
A rose by any other name
It was the Beckhams who brought to public attention the practice of naming your child after where it was conceived – hence Brooklyn.
I was in my gym in Kingston and heard a mother call ‘Oriana, come here’ in a loud voice. (Oriana, for those not in the know, is a cruise ship). This opens up dramatic new opportunities for parental ambition – as well as of course a whole series of logistical challenges. So how about Eiffel, Reichstag or Forum?
Most writers spend a long time thinking of Read more
The specialness of stationery
Most writers seem to love stationery – it is, after all, the means by which we first communicate – even if we subsequently get hooked on the computer.
I can remember the joy with which I went through the list of stationery needed for my final year at junior school, buying one crayon a week until I had the required number. And then, when you got to school, there was the specialness of writing on the first page of each brand new exercise book; trying to produce your very best writing for Read more
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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 »