Fast-Growing Independent Publishers, 2021
publishersweekly.com – Sunday April 25, 2021
Launched in 2013 to publish digital editions of out-of-print genre fiction from the 1960s and ’70s, Las Vegas’s Wolfpack Publishing reports that while revenue growth was steady in its first five years, its strongest growth was between 2018 and 2020. In this period, 90% of Wolfpack’s sales were books in digital formats. The company does things its own way, releasing titles weekly, president and CEO Mike Bray says, rather than seasonally. “We publish four to eight titles a week, both fresh stuff and reissues.”
Though Wolfpack’s list focuses on westerns, it has been supplementing its offerings with adventure, mystery, and historical fiction releases. And series are an essential component in its business model, publisher Rachel Del Grosso says, explaining, “When we are approached by any author or agent, the first thing we’re looking at is how many titles the author is bringing to the table. We invest in an author, not a single book.”
Women at Work: Writing Fiction for Young Readers Finding Their Way
verilymag.com – Wednesday April 21, 2021
For as long as she can remember, Verily contributor Claire Swinarski knew the answer to the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” A fiction writer. Specifically, a children’s fiction writer. The path to becoming one, however, was anything but straight. Swinarski’s first novel for middle-grade readers, What Happens Next, was published last May, and her second novel, The Kate In Between, comes out next month. I spoke with Swinarski about her new novel, her writing process, and the fiction that inspires her.
New Literary Agent Listing: Stefanie Rossitto
firstwriter.com – Wednesday April 21, 2021
Currently looking for historical fiction, and funny, witty, modern romances. She also enjoys anything and everything medieval as well as exciting historical romances and/or fiction based on real characters.
Revolutionary New Writing School May Signal the Death of the Traditional MFA Writing Program
prnewswire.com – Tuesday April 20, 2021
SAN FRANCISCO, April 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bay Area Writer and former Marin County Poet Laureate Albert Flynn DeSilver, Founder of Brilliant Writer, LLC, today announced the opening of his innovative new writing program. The Mindful Authors Accelerator goes beyond conventional MFA writing programs to offer practical tools for project completion, a supportive community, and lifetime access to the community and course materials.
"Many writers have told me how frustrated they were by academic classes or one-off writing seminars that inspired them but didn't help them finish that novel or memoir they've been burning to write," DeSilver said. "And most didn't have $40,000 or more to spend on an educational offering."
Literary Scammers are the Weirdest Scammers
insidehook.com – Tuesday April 20, 2021
Late last year, The New York Times recounted the tale of an odd case of impersonation. The article, written by Elizabeth A. Harris and Nicole Perlroth, recounted “a mysterious international phishing scam that has been tricking writers, editors, agents and anyone in their orbit into sharing unpublished book manuscripts.” Weird, right? Well, an even stranger scam has come to light in the literary world — though this one looks to be a bit more financially lucrative for whomever pulled it off.
Someone has been impersonating prize-winning writers in an effort to claim their winnings for themselves. And in a few cases, it’s worked.
So you want to be a writer? These are the 10 steps to make it happen
irishexaminer.com – Tuesday April 20, 2021
Apparently we all have a book in us. In advance of their appearances at Cork World Book Fest, fiction writer Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin and literary agent Simon Trewin explain how you can go from idea to actual publication.
Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin is a bestselling crime fiction author, writing under the pen-name Sam Blake, and also founder of writing.ie, the Inkwell Group publishing consultancy and crime writing festival Murder One. On Saturday, April 24, she will facilitate three panels on how to get published at the Cork World Book Fest. Participating on the ‘First Page Pitch’ panel is Simon Trewin, a long-established literary agent based in London. Here they give ten of their top tips to aspiring writers.
New Literary Agent: Emily Talbot
firstwriter.com – Tuesday April 20, 2021
Represents children's illustrators and authors of picture books, middle grade, teenage and YA.
10 free online writing courses for getting real good at words
mashable.com – Sunday April 18, 2021
Writing is a much-prized skill and a difficult one to master and, while some are naturally gifted in stringing sentences together, we all need to take the time to learn the craft.
Whether you want to write your first novel, pen a poignant poem, pull together a screenplay, or create better business content, there is a free, online course out there to help. We've rounded up a list of free, online writing courses so you can find the perfect program of study to help you write gooderer.
Winchester Writers' Event to be virtual, says Sara Gangai
hampshirechronicle.co.uk – Sunday April 18, 2021
WINCHESTER Writers' Weekend is being held virtually once again after a successful inaugural event in 2020.
Originally planned to be held in the city in-person, director Sara Gangai decided it was safer to hold it online until Covid eases.
The event provides opportunities for writers to hone their craft, rub elbows with published authors and other writers, and meet one-to-one with literary agents for feedback.
Ms Gangai said: “Last year we had around 250 people take part in the event but this year bookings are already exceeding expectations as we have two amazing keynote speakers, including Diana Gabaldon, author of the hugely popular Outlander series, and Chris Riddell, best-selling children’s author/illustrator."
Ethics, Envy and Egotism: Chris Power’s Guide to Writing a Novel
anothermag.com – Wednesday April 14, 2021
As a writer, Chris Power has lived many lives. He entered the industry as an incisive literary critic, writing for broadsheets like the Guardian and the Times. He then shifted to advertising, taking work as a creative director and corporate copywriter. But something about these roles never felt quite right. “I was constantly feeling frustrated by the fact that I wasn’t writing fiction,” the Surrey-born writer says today. “I reached some sort of breaking point, where my unconscious was like, well no, you’ve really got to do this.”
In the years since this breaking point, Power has become one of Britain’s most esteemed short story writers. His 2018-published debut anthology Mothers was an acclaimed, cross-continental study of emotional longing, examining the psychic residue of lost loves and forgotten pasts. And this month, Power is moving beyond short stories to release his first full-length novel: a taut, tense thriller titled A Lonely Man.
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