As we’re coming up to Halloween, I’d like to mention a book I bought recently from Tesco for my grandchildren: Funnybones by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. I know many of you will already be familiar with the family of skeletons and their pet dog, but it really is a great, non-scary read. Little ones will love the story, pictures and jingles whilst the words are easy enough for five and six year olds to read themselves.  Definitely one to go with the pumpkins and treats!

Over the years we’ve been told that women writers, writers of colour, LGBTQIA+ writers and even ‘working class’ writers are all ‘disadvantaged’ – and there are development schemes set up for them and competitions with restricted entry. But it now turns out that it’s really young male novelists that are disadvantaged – according to the media, that is!

Whereas a few years ago ‘literary’ novel lists seemed to be dominated by the likes of  Ian McEwan, Martin Amis, Alan Hollinghurst and David Mitchell the tide seems to have turned with such authors as Bernadine Everisto, Sally Rooney, Oyinka Braithwaite and Elizabeth Strout taking the plaudits (and sales). Read the rest of this entry »

First, thanks to Jacqueline for last week’s post and her sensible suggestions about getting your work published. But before you can get anything published you need to write and – importantly – admit to yourself (and to others) that you are a writer. In other words, believe in yourself!

Obviously, if you write, you’re a writer. But if you want to see your work in print then you need certain other qualities including:

Hard work: You can’t afford to have writers’ block! However you do it (and there are lots of suggestions out there online) you have to work your way through it and continue being productive. If you were a plumber, you wouldn’t suffer from plumbers’ block, would you? You’d just get on with unblocking that drain. You’ve also got to be willing to put the hours in. Don’t make excuses and procrastinate. Articles and books don’t writer themselves you have to be disciplined and sometimes have to make sacrifices. Read the rest of this entry »

As you will know by now, I have been an author for many years and have had my books published in different ways, including different publishers and self-publishing.

These are the main options you have:

Approach an Agent

Approach a publisher direct

Self-publish

Hybrid Publishing

Ways to get your book published

You have spent months – years even – writing your masterpiece and now you need to get it out there to your adoring public. What are your options? Read the rest of this entry »

First, thanks to Anne for last week’s contribution. I couldn’t introduce her properly in my previous post as she is the winner of our 2021 Poetry Competition and the results hadn’t been officially announced. So congratulations to her for her poem Sunstruck. It’s a wonderful, sophisticated evocation of sunflowers in art. Second place went to Alan Coombe for Out of Season and A Spoonful of Syrup took third place for Tracy Davidson. Do go and read them as they are all worthy winners. And don’t forget, our Flash Fiction Competition is now open for entries until 30^th November. Read the rest of this entry »