5 December 2022 - What's new
5 December 2022
- ‘If you like to write for yourself only, that is a different matter - you can make it any length, and write it in any way you wish; but then you will probably have to be content with the pleasure alone of having written it. It's no good starting out by thinking one is a heaven-born genius - some people are, but very few. No, one is a tradesman - a tradesman in a good honest trade. You must learn technical skills, and then, within that trade, you can apply your own creative ideas; but you must submit to the discipline of form... The most blessed thing about being an author is that you do it in the private and in your own time. 'Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime, in her Autobiography.
- Worldbuilding 2: the basics of writing fantasy fiction, the second in our new series, 'Fantasy fiction is a niche market, but a very popular niche market. It is particularly popular among new writers, and I suspect this is a consequence of growing up on a diet of best-selling fantasy fiction over the last couple of decades. This article will look at the differences between writing fantasy fiction and other genres, and also the similarities. Then I will look at some of the issues involved in writing fantasy fiction.'
- The most recent addition to our range of reports is the Editor's Report Plus, a substantial report which offers chapter-by-chapter commentary on your manuscript, with a helpful blueprint for any further work which is recommended. It gives you the kind of expert advice which is usually only available from an in-house editor, which is why it has quickly become our most popular report.
- The Selfies Book Awards UK 2023 has now opened. Authors who have self-published adult fiction, children's books or adult memoirs/autobiography in the UK between January and December 2022 can enter. Entry fee: £35 per title to include a six-month subscription to Bookbrunch. £750 cash prize for each category plus other prizes. Closing 3 January 2023.
- Links from publishers: you may not be surprised to hear the latest dismal figures, Writers' earnings have plummeted - with women, Black and mixed race authors worst hit | Books | The Guardian; this looks like a first in the history of publishing, More than 150 agents back striking HarperCollins workers - ABC News; it's not over yet, Amazon, Big Five E-Book Price Fixing Suit Is Revived; a frank insider's view, Charlie Redmayne on Costs, Pricing, Sales in Book Publishing; nearly three years after it was put up for sale by its parent company, Simon & Schuster is back at square one, What's Next for Simon & Schuster? How will their Booker win affect writers in one of the world's most overlooked literary regions? What does this year's double Booker win mean for south Asian literature?
- Choosing a service provides a rundown of all our services and can help if you're not sure what you're looking for.
- From our nineteen-part Inside Publishing series, you can read up on Advances and royalties: 'Publishers usually offer to pay authors advances against royalties. How do you work out how much money you might earn from your book? You need to understand for yourself how advances and royalties work and what they mean for you... 'On The Writer/Publisher Financial Relationship: 'There's no escaping the fact that publishers and authors are essentially in an adversarial position. Even in the very best and most supportive publisher/writer relationships there is the tension caused by the fact that authors would like to earn as much as possible from their writing and publishers to pay as little as they can get away with...'
- Links from writers: young people are growing up "afraid to ask questions for fear of asking the wrong questions", Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Author warns about 'epidemic of self-censorship' - BBC News; the common wisdom tells us that time is money, but for a writer, money is time, Susan Griffin Makes a Case for the Midlist; more evidence of Tiktok's effect on the young, The Bookseller - News - More than half of young readers credit BookTok with sparking passion for reading, PA finds; not so long ago, you couldn't move for celebrity memoirs, Richard Osman, Mel Giedroyc ... every celebrity wants to be a novelist. But can they hack it? | Books | The Guardian; I didn't know the job of book editor existed until I moved to New York, Noir Confidential: On Editing Crime Books and Living a Life Filled With Mystery ‹ CrimeReads.
- ‘Thank you for offering such a wonderful service. As always, I appreciate your professionalism and your excellent rapport with your clients.' Susan Nadathur on our Endorsements page.
- WritersServices offers a comprehensive range of editorial services for authors writing for the children's book market. All our services are carried out to the highest professional standard and offer competitive rates and excellent value for money. Writing for children is not an easy option. It requires sound writing skills, originality, a clear understanding of the target audience and a good grasp of the market. Our expert editors are specialists in writing for children, and they will help you to make your work the best it can be. Children's Editorial Services
- "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that." Stephen King. Many other authors believe that reading and being well-read is essential to good writing. Novels show writers what can be done and how. They can be everything from a rip-roaring read to a work of art, and they present the finished article, the puzzle of writing solved and celebrated as a successful story. Writing for Children: Rule Number One.
- Advice for writers gives you access to the massive amount of information available on the site.
- More links for writers: I've watched platforms rise and fall, Why Book Blogs Still Matter In an Age of BookTok | Book Riot; a long but fascinating article about the great SF writer, The Spectacular Life of Octavia E. Butler; massive audio figures for J K Rowling's creation, Harry Potter: Fans have listened to books for one billion hours - CBBC Newsround; "I wonder if I could write a book?", What to put in, what to leave out; I'm not a historian, just a novelist who happens to be a history fanatic, What's the Key to Writing Realistic Historical Fiction? ‹ CrimeReads.
- Are you struggling to get someone to look at your poetry? Our Poetry Critique service for 150 lines of poetry can help. Our Poetry Collection Editing, unique to WritersServices, edits your collection to prepare it for submission or self-publishing. Both can provide the professional editorial input you need.
- 'Writing is a strange synthesis between the two parts of your mind: the analytical side and the side that knows nothing at all, and you have to allow the dreaming side free rein.' Rose Tremain in our Writers' Quotes.
- If you've found this newsletter helpful, please recommend Writersservices membership to your friends.
