4 April 2016 - What's new
4 April 2016
- 'Authenticity is a high priority for most of us who write. As creative souls with a message to share or a story to tell, we aim to come up with original ideas and find the most genuine words to express them to inspire the hearts and minds of our readers...' Our latest article A New Approach to Discovering Your True Writer's Voice from Julia McCutchen is an intuitive creator, writer and mentor who guides people to share their unique gifts through creating, writing and living from a conscious and vibrant connection to Truth. A former international publisher, Julia experienced a life-changing accident in 1999 which triggered a series of major quantum leaps in her spiritual awakening. She subsequently developed a tried and tested holistic approach to access the present and aligned state required for original creative expression in all areas of life, especially writing. She is the founder and creative director of the International Association of Conscious & Creative Writers (IACCW) and the author of two books including, Conscious Writing: Discover Your True Voice Through Mindfulness and More (Hay House). For more information and a free video series visit www.JuliaMcCutchen.com and www.iaccw.com is a follow-up to her Conscious Writing.
- Bob's Journal is a long-running column from writer Bob Ritchie described by fellow EastEnders script-writer Pippa McCarthy: 'Just discovered your web page... I've just spent the last hour crying with laughter with periodic yelps of 'been there!'... I'm going to make my entire family read your diary. Then perhaps will understand own bizarre behaviour every time I start a script... Anyway, will shut up now but just wanted to say you have cheered me up no end. It's brilliant.'
- We're just entering a particularly key part of the spring book fair season this week, with the Bologna Children's Book Fair starting on 4 April and the London Book Fair on 12 April. (Pity the poor book fair attendees, rushing from one to the other!) News Review
- Our Services for Self-publishers include a complete set of editorial services you may need if you're publishing your own book - Copy editing, Proof-reading, Blurb-writing, Children's Copy editing, Poetry Collection Editing, Indexing and Manuscript Typing.
- 'There are fewer fairy tales in publishing these days, but there's still some magic left and dreams can come true. Don't write for the publishers and don't try to second guess the market; it's elusive and impossible to pin down...' Our Comment this week is provided by Lisa Jewel, author of The Girls and Ralph's Party, and it's from the Mail online.
- Our links: the joy of selling two million books, all down to self-publishing, 14 hour days, marketing and dealing with snobbery: my life as a self-published bestseller | Books | The Guardian; never judge a book by its cover, as the saying goes, but we do it every time, what difference does a cover make? Why Publishers Should A/B Test Book Covers | Digital Book World; Romance and the importance of book covers, With Romance Novels Booming, Beefcake Sells, but It Doesn't Pay - The New York Times; with increased government investments in education, India's literary rate has risen sharply over the last ten years, Is It Time for India's Book Market to Gain 'Industry' Status? and a fascinating insight into the German children's book market, Klaus Humann of Aladin Verlag on Children's Book Publishing.
- Our Publishing and Printing Glossary provides a handy reference to any terms you're not familiar with.
- 'Fantasy doesn't have to be fantastic. American writers in particular find this much harder to grasp. You need to have your feet on the ground as much as your head in the clouds. The cute dragon that sits on your shoulder also craps all down your back, but this makes it more interesting because it gives it an added dimension.' Terry Pratchett in our Writers' Quotes.