July 2008 - Writers Magazine

Changes in the book trade

This new series by Chris HolifieldManaging director of WritersServices; spent working life in publishing,employed by everything from global corporations to start-ups; track record includes: editorial director of Sphere Books, publishing director of The Bodley Head, publishing director for start-up of upmarket book club, The Softback Preview, editorial director of Britain’s biggest book club group, BCA, and, most recently, deputy MD and publisher of Cassell & Co. She is also currently the Director of the Poetry Book Society; During all of this time aware of problems faced by writers, as publishing changed from idiosyncratic cottage industry, 'occupation for gentlemen', into corporate business of today. Writers encountered increasing difficulty in getting books edited or published. Authors create the books which are the raw material for the whole business. She believes it is time to bring them back to centre stage. looks at the book trade and investigates how fundamental changes in how it works are affecting writers.

The sixth article looks at copyright under pressure, as two developments - digitisation and the Internet concept of everything being free online - challenge authors' key control of their intellectual property.

The first article is on: Bookselling, the second on Publishing and the third on Print on demand and the fourth on Self-publishing - 'really great' or career suicide? and the fifth on Writers' routes to their audiences.

My Say

Timothy Hallinan's 'The Writing Session' offers 6 tips on how to approach your writing:  'The universe has a vast amount of material to offer you, free of charge, for your book. If you write regularly, you’ll recognize that material when it comes along. It could, ultimately, be the thing that either saves your book or takes it to a higher level.'

Success story

Our latest Writer's Success story is Jhumpa Lahiri, whose latest collection Unaccustomed Earth went straight to the top of the American bestseller lists, even though it is both literary and a collection of short stories.

WritersServices Self-publishing

If you're thinking about self-publishing, this is the place to find out what's involved. If you're ready to go ahead, our high quality service is second to none and there's an economy version for those who want to tackle some of the work themselves. You can estimate the cost for yourself.

Choosing a Service

Are you having difficulty deciding which service might be right for you? This useful new article by Chris Holifield offers advice on what to go for, depending on what stage you are at with your writing.

Our Editorial Services for writers

Check out the 16 different editorial services we offer, from Reports to Copy editing, Typing to Rewriting.