Writers' News from firstwriter.com

The book agent's touch

straitstimes.com – Sunday January 31, 2016

Literary agents are the gatekeepers and tastemakers of the book world, deciding an unpublished manuscript's fate even before a publisher does. No wonder then that Mr Jonny Geller, joint chief executive officer of the Curtis Brown agency, was last year named among Britain's 500 most influential people by long-established society watcher Debretts.

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Call for short poems: BIG LIT The Stewartry Book Festival April 14-17 2016

firstwriter.com – Sunday January 31, 2016

Short poems are again being sought for display in high street windows over the BIG LIT weekend at the Stewartry Book Festival, April 14-17, 2016.

Poems may be published or unpublished, and should be sent as soon as possible in Palatino 12 point with your name at the bottom, and an acknowledgement if previously published.

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Want to Succeed in Self-Publishing? Be Realistic: Tips from an Indie Author

publishersweekly.com – Saturday January 30, 2016

After working as a network TV producer and writer for 40 years, Terry Irving finally sat down and wrote his debut novel, Courier. He landed an agent, but when he lost his job at Bloomberg News, he started looking into self-publishing. And then, on the day he was going to make the book available to purchase online, he got a call from his agent. “A British publisher was going to read it on his vacation. So, I halted the mighty CreateSpace presses and in a week, the publisher returned from whatever sandy beach he was relaxing on and sent me a letter so full of praise that I still have it framed and mounted on my wall above my computer so I can read it when I feel down. I got a contract and basked in the glow of being a published author.”

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Breaking into writing: a few thoughts

denofgeek.com – Thursday January 28, 2016

Should you write for free? How do you get noticed if you want to write for a magazine or website? A few thoughts right here...

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Flowstate is a writing app that will delete everything if you stop typing

theverge.com – Thursday January 28, 2016

Flowstate is billed as the "most dangerous app." It’s hyperbole, of course, but there’s a grain of truth to it. The software is a writing and note-taking tool, and it’s a super clean, minimal, and beautiful way to jot down your thoughts, especially on mobile. But its key feature is the ability to set timed writing sessions in which any text you’ve put to the page will disappear if you stop writing for more than seven seconds. Yes, really.

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New Publisher Listing

firstwriter.com – Thursday January 28, 2016

Publishes: Fiction; Nonfiction;
Areas include: Science;
Markets: Children's

Publishes picture books that aim to get children excited about science and maths. Publishes mainly fiction with nonfiction facts woven into the story, but will also consider nonfiction stories. Submit by email only. See website for full submission guidelines.

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Can You Land an Agent or Book Deal at a Writers Conference?

huffingtonpost.com – Wednesday January 27, 2016

Yes! Look, you can't call up HarperCollins and say, "Hello! I've written a great book, could I please speak to Mr. Harper or Mr. Collins?" If you're an unknown quantity, and you aren't sleeping with someone at a literary agency--or even if you are, in some cases--it's virtually impossible to get face time with a publishing professional, be it an agent, editor, or publisher. Your blind query is usually dropped with a plop into the slop of the dreaded and aptly named slush pile, where it is then skimmed over by an eighteen-year-old unpaid intern. The fate of your book, the object of your passion and hard work, is frightfully beyond your control. Luckily, at the best writers conferences and workshops, and even some of the top-drawer bookfairs and festivals, you can personally meet, speak with, and sometimes even pitch to real publishing professionals. We know. We've met amazing writers at all of these places and helped them get book deals.

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Getting Beyond Writer's Block

huffingtonpost.com – Tuesday January 26, 2016

Is there a "Right" way to write? In a word, "No."

What works for you does not necessarily work for another. Getting started is generally the first barrier to overcome. Most individuals get stuck and procrastinate when it comes to writing something longer than an e-mail. They don't want to look foolish or write anything that may be sub-par.

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