PFD to launch Queer Fiction Prize
thebookseller.com – Thursday October 7, 2021
Literary agency Peters Fraser + Dunlop is launching the PFD Queer Fiction Prize, with author Okechukwu Nzelu among the judges for the inaugural award.
The prize will have three separate categories for Adult, YA and Children’s Fiction.Three winners will receive representation at PFD and guidance for completing their novel. The recipients of the prize will be announced in June 2022.
‘Bad art friend’: should fiction writers ever lift stories from other people’s lives?
theguardian.com – Wednesday October 6, 2021
Great writers have always been inspired by friends and lovers, but a viral article has revived the moral arguments around muses. In the age of the internet, does using someone else’s story feel like a violation?
New Literary Agent Listing: Rachel Yeoh
firstwriter.com – Tuesday October 5, 2021
Beginning to build her own list. Appreciates character-driven stories that have the power to soothe the pains of human suffering.
Azumah Nelson to open National Creative Writing Day
thebookseller.com – Monday October 4, 2021
Novelist Caleb Azumah Nelson is to open the seventh iteration of the National Creative Writing Industry Day, as the event returns to a live physical event this year.
The author of Open Water (Viking) will deliver a keynote speech to aspiring writers at Manchester Metropolitan University at a conference hosted in partnership with Comma Press. The event will also include a panel discussion on "The Paths of Northern Writers" with editor of award-nominated Aurelia Magazine Kya Buller, Desiree Reynolds and 2021 BBC National Short Story Award shortlistee Richard Smyth.
New Magazine Listing: CharlottesvilleFamily
firstwriter.com – Monday October 4, 2021
An award-winning quarterly magazine dedicated to serving families in Virginia’s Charlottesville-Albemarle area with engaging feature stories on parenting, education, health and recreation as well as useful resources designed to help “Make Parenting Easier & Growing Up Fun.”
Where Have All the Midsize Book Publishers Gone?
publishersweekly.com – Sunday October 3, 2021
When Hachette Book Group acquired Workman Publishing, HBG CEO Michael Pietsch observed that Workman was one of the biggest, if not the biggest, remaining independent trade publishers left in the U.S. Based on available data, a case could indeed be made that Workman was the largest of its kind. Which has raised a question in publishing circles: why are there so few independent publishers of size? There is a dearth of what can be called midsize publishers that fall between the Big Five and the many independent publishers with sales of $20 million or less.
The Houghton Mifflin Harcourt trade division, with 2020 sales of $192 million, was what could have been considered a mini-major before it was acquired by HarperCollins. The Scholastic trade group, with sales of $355 million in the fiscal year ended May 31, is a major player in the children’s trade market, but as part of a $1.3 billion publisher, it is clearly not independent. Other trade publishers that could be considered midsize that are also part of larger companies are Disney’s publishing division and Abrams, which is owned by the French company La Martinière Groupe, which was itself acquired by Media Participations.
New Literary Agent Listing: Olivia Maidment
firstwriter.com – Friday October 1, 2021
Actively looking for accessible literary and literary fiction; book club, upmarket commercial, multi-generational sagas; social and political themes; historical fiction; international settings; speculative fiction; coming of age; high concept stories; new approaches to classic genres.
Maidment steps up to agent at Madeleine Milburn
thebookseller.com – Thursday September 30, 2021
The Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency has promoted Olivia Maidment to literary agent to build its literary fiction list.
Formerly associate agent, Maidment will be working alongside founder, director and agent Madeleine Milburn, m.d. Giles Milburn as well as agents Hayley Steed and Hannah Todd in the adult fiction department.
After graduating with a degree in English literature and classical civilisation from the University of Birmingham, Maidment’s first experience of publishing was with an internship at the agency. She then went on to roles at the Blair Partnership and United Agents before re-joining Madeleine Milburn as associate agent in 2020, working closely with Milburn across her roster of authors whilst also building her own list.
New Literary Agent Listing: Dani Segelbaum
firstwriter.com – Thursday September 30, 2021
Interested in both fiction and non-fiction. Is seeking non-fiction titles with an emphasis on politics, women’s issues, popular culture, and current events. Also loves memoir, narrative non-fiction, lifestyle, and cookbooks. In fiction, she is looking for literary and upmarket adult fiction including debut, historical, rom-coms, mysteries, and women’s fiction. In both fiction and non-fiction, she hopes to work with authors from diverse backgrounds to tell stories that are important to them. She loves compelling narrators and is drawn to writing that is voice-driven, highly transporting, and features unique perspectives and marginalized voices.
Byrd Leavell Discusses Key Strategies for Finding the Right Literary Agent
digitaljournal.com – Tuesday September 28, 2021
With more than fifteen years in the publishing sphere, seasoned agent and head of publishing at United Talent Agency Byrd Leavell is keenly aware of what it takes to find the right literary agent for your next book.
An agent’s growing list of submissions means they’re facing a mounting workload on a strict deadline. If you want an agent to consider your book, grabbing their attention immediately is an absolute must. Within the first polished 50 to 100 pages, define and demonstrate a compelling development in your plot that is centered around the inciting incident.
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