New Magazine Listing: The Idler
firstwriter.com – Wednesday March 5, 2025
Please email pitches addressed to the editor. We rarely publish unsolicited material, but we do read everything that’s sent to us. Please note that we cannot offer feedback on rejected articles and pitches.
New Literary Agency Listing: Seventh Agency
firstwriter.com – Tuesday March 4, 2025
Accepts submissions in March, July, and November. To submit, sign up to mailing list on website. During open submission periods you will receive a link to the submissions form within 48 hours. If you sign up outside of a submission period, you will be notified a week before the next submission period opens. Currently prioritises UK writers but will accept English language submissions from writers based in other parts of the world.
‘Sign our own death warrant’: Australian writers angry after Melbourne publisher asks them to sign AI agreements
theguardian.com – Tuesday March 4, 2025
Australian writers, literary agents, and the industry’s peak body have expressed their concerned after Black Inc Books asked its authors to consent to their work being used to train artificial intelligence.
The Melbourne publisher, which produces The Quarterly Essay as well as fiction and nonfiction by prominent Australian writers, gave them until today to enter into third-party agreements with an unnamed AI company.
The writers were asked to grant Black Inc “the right to reproduce or use, adapt and exploit the work in connection with the development of any software program, including, without limitation, training, testing, validation and the deployment of a machine learning or generative artificial intelligence system”.
The deal sees the publisher split the net receipts with the author 50/50.
Jane Gregory Bursaries applications open for Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2025
thebookseller.com – Tuesday March 4, 2025
Applications are now open for the Jane Gregory Bursaries, which offer three underrepresented writers a unique opportunity to attend the Creative Thursday writing day at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2025.
Creative Thursday is pitched by organiser Harrogate International Festivals as “an immersive and inspiring day of workshops and talks led by industry experts and bestselling crime writers” including Vaseem Khan, Mick Herron, Will Dean and Laura Shepherd-Robinson. It takes place on 17th July, the opening day of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate.
The Jane Gregory Bursaries were created to support the next generation of crime writers, offering recipients the opportunity to access the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. One of the bursaries incorporates a Weekend Break Package with accommodation and tickets to all Festival main stage events, while the Festival’s Creative Thursday Workshops are offered in all three bursaries, along with travel contributions.
The three bursaries offer opportunities to attend the annual Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and are open to aspiring writers from under-represented groups including, but not limited to, individuals who are Black, Asian or part of a Minority Ethnic group, those with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community or those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Former publishing staffers launch new publishing services company BeRead
thebookseller.com – Monday March 3, 2025
The former marketing director at Headline Fergus Edmondson and former head of brand for James Patterson at PRH Merle Bennett have launched a new publishing services company called BeRead.
Launched in February 2025, the “complete publishing partner” aims to work across the UK and US to “support writers and publishers at every stage, from manuscript to market”, focusing on publishing strategy and promotion, author brand development and campaign execution and marketing.
It will, the founders say, offer access to “best-in-class” editors, designers, proofreaders, typesetters and more.
Fergus Edmondson has more than 15 years experience in-house at Headline, Penguin Random House UK, Pan Macmillan and, more recently, as a freelance marketing director, working on books by authors including Maggie O’Farrell, Michael Palin and Robert Harris.
New Publisher Listing: Bad Betty
firstwriter.com – Monday March 3, 2025
Publishes collections of new poems in book and pamphlet form. Send up to 10 pages by email during June for pamphlets or July for full collections.
New Literary Agent Listing: Daniel Niv
firstwriter.com – Thursday February 27, 2025
Overall, I love stories with a compelling hook, an emphasis on character development, high stakes, and plot twists. I enjoy reading stories with diverse voices from all backgrounds. I am always intrigued by historical or unique settings! The most important thing for me when reading a manuscript is to connect to the protagonist. I often connect to vulnerable protagonists who discover their strengths. I am also very captivated by morally gray or flawed characters. In romance, my favorite tropes are slow-burn, banter, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and forbidden love.
Top Authors Announced to Appear at the Ealing Book Festival
ealingtoday.co.uk – Wednesday February 26, 2025
This year’s Ealing Book Festival is set to feature a line-up of internationally acclaimed authors and tickets are now on sale for the event.
The programme includes talks from Hanif Kureishi, Elif Shafak, Andrew O’Hagan, Tracy Chevalier, Roger McGough, Natasha Brown, Abi Daré and Laura Cumming, alongside a wide range of other events including walking tours, workshops and a children’s poetry competition
The second ever festival runs from Thursday 24 to Sunday 27 April 2025 and is being run in partnership with Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery which will host many of the events along with the University of West London.
Hanif Kureishi, best known as the author of The Buddha of Suburbia and My Beautiful Laundrette, will talk about his new memoir Shattered which charts the devastation and rebuilding of his life after a fall in 2022 left him without the use of his limbs.
New Publisher Listing: Procrastinating Writers United
firstwriter.com – Wednesday February 26, 2025
A group of people that enjoy fiddling about with words. Their goals include sharing and improving their work and exchanging constructive critique and encouragement. Publish print and ebook anthologies of poetry and short fiction. See website for specific submission calls.
Aberdeen crime writing festival proves again why it’s the perfect match
creativescotland.com – Tuesday February 25, 2025
Aberdeen’s international crime writing festival came to a rapturous close on Sunday 23 February as the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers brought down the curtain on Granite Noir 2025. The ninth edition saw over 80 authors, artists and speakers participate over the four day festival, including nine emerging North East writers as part of Granite Noir’s leading Locals in the Limelight series. Audiences travelled from across the country and tuned in around the world to enjoy events that dove into the thrilling world of crime fiction.
Criminal duos were in focus this year, with a live version of the hit BBC podcast Murder They Wrote with Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling performed to a packed out Music Hall on Thursday night. And husband and wife writing teams Nicci French and Ambrose Parry discussed their process and real-life Partners in Crime.
Ben Torrie, Director of Programming and Creative Projects at Aberdeen Performing Arts remarked on this year’s event: “This year’s Granite Noir invited everyone to become our partners in crime, and we’re delighted that so many joined us as accomplices this past weekend. Reading and writing could be considered solitary occupations, but the acknowledgments at the end of any book prove it is anything but a solo endeavour. So too it is the case with this festival. Granite Noir would not be possible without the efforts of the team, our key funders and festival partners and I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all of them for their continued support. Most of all though, Granite Noir couldn’t happen without the support of our audiences and of the city of Aberdeen. As we look forward to our tenth edition next year, I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone who has embraced Granite Noir into the fabric of the city and established its place as one of Scotland’s leading literary events.”
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