Frankfurt Book Fair 2020 to go ahead
thebookseller.com – Thursday May 28, 2020
After weeks of speculation the Supervisory Board of the Frankfurt Book Fair decided yesterday (Wednesday 27th May) that the fair will take place as scheduled from 14th–18th October.
However it will be a very different Frankfurt. The plan is to run the event not only on the fair's grounds but also decentralized at locations in the city, and as a virtual event.
Strict safety and hygiene measures will be in place based on the coronavirus regulations of the state of Hesse, whose government together with Frankfurt’s mayor has been, and continues to be, deeply involved in getting the fair on the road.
New Literary Agent Listing: Trevor Dolby
firstwriter.com – Wednesday May 27, 2020
Looking for popular science with a clear relevance to everyday life, narrative history, military history, humour, biography, popular culture, natural history and great memoirs by passionate people whose lives have been well lived.
New Literary Agent Listing: Kenzi Nevins
firstwriter.com – Tuesday May 26, 2020
Represents both illustrators and writers for children's picture books, middle grade, and young adult. Interested in magic realism and mythology.
Bookselling Requires a Great Query Letter & It's Harder Than It Looks
bleedingcool.com – Monday May 25, 2020
The query letter is a single page—usually closer to half a page—whose purpose is to explain who the writer is and what their book is about. As Hodapp says, the letter has one goal: to get the agent to request the full manuscript, "period." It's harder than it looks. Agents receive thousands of letters and only respond to a small fraction.
Hodapp spent time explaining so many ways a query can go right or wrong. She talked about "comps," or comparative titles, the one or two existing books that the author's book is most like. Sometimes authors are afraid to mention comps because they don't think the comparison is close enough, or they mention too many– just another example of a challenge the author has to navigate to get the agent's eye. She also talked about tone, how authors can let emotions curdle a letter into a sort of complaint email, which defies the purpose of trying to get a follow-up. Hodapp frequently presents on writing and querying, and her advice is invaluable.
Unsold book returns in coming weeks could be another blow for publishers
toronto.citynews.ca – Sunday May 24, 2020
As publishers try to deal with the massive disruption to the book industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are bracing for another big blow that could arrive over the coming weeks as more retailers open their doors.
A massive return of books stemming from the two-month run of closed doors at bookshops and retail outlets could be a crushing financial hit for many domestic publishers, particularly the smaller independent variety.
“Publishing has always been a precarious business,” said Sarah MacLachlan, publisher of the Toronto-based House of Anansi Press.
How to write a novel in lockdown
goodhousekeeping.com – Saturday May 23, 2020
Summoning up the energy to be both creative and disciplined in order to make something meaningful is an enormous challenge at the best of times. All but the most robotic of writers are in a perpetual struggle to capture the novel that seemed so perfect when it was conceived, so writing well at a time when we are all distracted and anxious and pre-occupied seems even more daunting.
Writing is as much about stamina and discipline as it is about imagination and inspiration, so you need to put yourself in training. Every book is different, with its own unique set of problems, and it’s never easy (and nor should it be, like anything worthwhile) but after 21 novels, I’ve found a few tricks to keep me on track: a combination of routine, confidence-building and kindness.
New Literary Agent Listing: Toby Mundy
firstwriter.com – Friday May 22, 2020
Looking for gripping narrative nonfiction, and well written, mind-expanding works in the areas of history, biography, memoir, current affairs, sport, popular culture and popular science. Also represents a small number of thriller writers and literary novelists.
New Literary Agent Listing: Cyle Young
firstwriter.com – Thursday May 21, 2020
Represents work in both the General and Christian markets.
Call For Entries: 'Haiku' Writing Competition 2.0
archdaily.com – Wednesday May 20, 2020
'Haiku' Writing Competition Series 2.0 is the sixth initiative of the Architectural Journalism & Criticism Organization, India founded by architect Pappal Suneja to spread awareness about this subject and sow the seeds of inspiration to explore and write about Architecture and allied fields. As per the curator, Journalism & Critical Appreciation in Architecture should reciprocate to the trending techniques. Our prenominal existence in the moment of time is not merely enough to amount for the utterance of spoken or written of the present. The architectural writings serve as reflections at a future day and it needs to be taken ahead at the forefront.
Red Planet writing prize goes digital
televisual.com – Wednesday May 20, 2020
Indie Red Planet Pictures and ITV will hold the next phase of their bi-annual writing competition as digital masterclasses this year.
The winner of The Red Planet Prize gets a script commission and the runner up will get development opportunities with ITV. Previous winners include Death In Paradise creator Robert Thorogood.
Leading the online sessions this year will be writer and Red Planet CEO Tony Jordan, ITV Drama Commissioner Chloe Tucker, Red Planet Joint MD Belinda Campbell, Red Planet Creative Consultant Kate Rowland and actor and writer, Rhashan Stone (Keeping Faith, Apple Tree Yard).
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