How To Know If Your Idea Is a Novel or a Screenplay, and Why Thrillers Make Great TV
crimereads.com – Wednesday January 15, 2025
I’m a TV writer by profession, and when I’m not staffing a show, I develop TV series adaptations with the goal of selling one to a buyer. My favorite novel genres to adapt are mysteries and thrillers because I love suspenseful, propulsive storytelling and because thrillers make damn good TV.
TV shows demand action and surprises that compel a viewer to keep watching, and since suspense novels are built around twists, with chapters that end on cliffhangers, they lend well to adaptation. In the Age of Streaming, where thousands of TV shows across 400 networks compete for attention, it’s incredibly difficult for a series to gain traction, but a delicious thriller can quickly amass an audience.
If I spark to a novel, I develop my “take”—a 20-minute pitch on how I would adapt the book into an on-going series. When pitching a series, the most important question I need to answer is Why Now? A thriller novel with a strong hook and a juicy twist is great, but one that has something to say, that sparks discussion around a timely, compelling theme, is undeniable. Think Big Little Lies, with its examination of domestic violence among the elites, or Codename Villanelle (the source material for Killing Eve), with its rare depiction of female obsession.
Details announced for the 2025 Bournemouth Writing Festival featuring around 100 events
news.bournemouthone.com – Monday January 13, 2025
Details have been announced for the third Bournemouth Writing Festival, to be held over the weekend of 25th to 27th April at various locations in Bournemouth town centre.
The three days will feature around 100 events and activities (some free) to inspire writers of all ages, backgrounds, abilities and experience.
There will be talks, walks, panels, workshops, informal networking breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and literary agent 1-2-1s.
Writing on the Beach will return as well as a Words for Wellbeing Chillout Zone at the Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, and special evening events from the Outsiders Project and Bourn Jammy.
Closing the festival on the Sunday night will be Making Waves, a showcase for new and emerging writers hosted by Arts University Bournemouth.
What's next for kids' books
thebookseller.com – Sunday January 12, 2025
As we look ahead into 2025, the ongoing realities of global instability and economic uncertainty are not going away any time soon. Adaptation will be essential as we navigate these persistent issues, demanding resilience and innovative solutions from individuals and communities alike.
In the creative realm, we are witnessing a significant shift toward authenticity. There is an increasing desire among audiences to trust the true identities of those who created the work – writers, artists, illustrators and actors.
In a time where digital imagery and AI often raise questions such as: is that real, did it actually happen or is it fake? The importance of knowing the voices behind the work becomes paramount. As a result, we can anticipate a celebration of transparency and trust in creative expression. What that means is a striving towards building an artist’s name, audience and credibility to own the copyright so they can be recognised as the original creator of their work across all platforms.
In today’s screen-filled world, we are not just selling books, we are promoting the act of reading itself. We advocate for its transformative power in shaping young minds, fostering empathy and enhancing mental health. This is a responsibility we cannot take lightly. It is one that requires all the creativity and collaboration between agents and publishers to create new formats with retailers who are confident in how to sell these non-traditional formats.
We need to get bold. We need to push the boundaries of what a book can be. Here is how I think this might look in the year to come.
Ulysses Press, Spot Gloss Media Form Bluestone Books
publishersweekly.com – Sunday January 12, 2025
The owners of the independent publisher Ulysses Press and the book packing and publishing company Spot Gloss Media have banded together to form Bluestone Books. The new company “will specialize in popular culture, practical nonfiction, and concept-driven children’s titles," per an announcement. Its first list of nine titles is planned for this summer, and the founders hope to release 25-30 books annually.
Bluestone is the brainchild of Keith Riegert, CEO of Ulysses and one of the cofounders of Perfect Bound, an online marketplace that connects publishers and printers while also providing title management services. Spot Gloss was formed late last year through the merger of Hollan Publishing, owned by Holly Schmidt, and Castle Point Publishing, run by Bruce Lubin. The company develops books in a range of adult categories as well as titles for the children’s and Christian markets, and Schmidt and Lubin have worked on dozens of titles that have been published by Ulysses over the last 20 years.
BookTok shaped a new generation of readers, authors. What happens if TikTok is banned?
eu.usatoday.com – Sunday January 12, 2025
It doesn’t matter if you’re off social media or chronically online enough to know what “faerie smut” is – if you’re a reader, you’ve probably heard of BookTok.
Reader communities are nothing new. But BookTok isn’t your grandma’s book club or the Facebook fan page of your mom’s generation – in fact, it gave online book communities of days past a run for their money by boosting book sales and birthing an entirely new generation of readers.
But on Friday, the Supreme Court began hearing arguments to determine whether it should block a law requiring TikTok to cut ties with the Chinese government or be banned Jan. 19.
What happens for booklovers if it all goes away?
S&S Launches Audio Imprint Simon Maverick, Helmed by Jason Pinter
publishersweekly.com – Friday January 10, 2025
Simon & Schuster has thrown its weight behind Simon Maverick, a new audio-first imprint featuring content from self-published authors. Jason Pinter, former publisher of Polis Books, quietly joined S&S on November 4 to become the imprint’s VP and editorial director.
In a statement, S&S described Simon Maverick as “the first-ever audio imprint launched by a Big Five publisher dedicated to shining a light on works from talented, diverse, and emerging independent authors.” The imprint aims to publish more than 50 titles in 2025, and has so far acquired around 35 titles. Moving forward, it anticipates publishing 50–100 audiobooks annually, mostly audio originals alongside projects that originate in print.
“We are looking for existing books that have already found a readership, that are not in audio yet, and we’re also looking to establish relationships with authors,” whether published or unpublished, Pinter told PW. He estimated that the launch list is a 50/50 mix of audio-first work and titles that appeared in print, and he expects that ratio to shift toward all-new audio content as the imprint progresses.
Introducing Thousand Voices x RHPG, a New Publishing Venture from the Random House Publishing Group & Jenna Bush Hager’s Thousand Voices Media
global.penguinrandomhouse.com – Wednesday January 8, 2025
The new partnership is to publish debut and emerging authors across the Random House Publishing Group’s portfolio of imprints.
The Random House Publishing Group and Thousand Voices, the media company of Jenna Bush Hager, are launching an innovative publishing venture: THOUSAND VOICES x RHPG, it was announced today by Sanyu Dillon, President, Random House Publishing Group, and Jenna Bush Hager, the founder of Thousand Voices Media.
THOUSAND VOICES x RHPG will work with storytellers writing in a wide range of genres, including romance, suspense, romantasy, literary fiction, historical fiction, and memoir. Collaborating with editors from across RHPG’s portfolio of imprints, Bush Hager will identify and guide debut writers and emerging voices, working closely with all publishing teams at each stage – from cover design to marketing, publicity, and sales – to publish each book with maximum impact. Thousand Voices and Jenna Bush Hager are represented by UTA who brokered the deal with RHPG on her behalf and will offer strategic support for the venture.
The program will release books published in partnership with one of the imprints of the Random House Publishing Group, depending on the genre and audience. Bush Hager will collaborate on a distinct marketing and publicity campaign for each title, which will include her own participation, with ongoing support for the program, through joint appearances, partnerships, and publicity. Thousand Voices will be separate from the highly successful Read with Jenna book club, which Bush Hager created at NBC’s Today in 2019, and which has launched 47 New York Times bestsellers.
New Literary Agent Listing: Laura Heathfield
firstwriter.com – Wednesday January 8, 2025
I am looking for commercial crime, thriller, suspense, book club, historical and romance fiction as well as select non-fiction. Above everything I want to be entertained. I’m looking for a book you can’t wait to talk to someone about, in the same way as a new film or the latest release on Netflix. A book that engrosses me from the first page to the last, desperate for someone I know to read so we can discuss as soon as possible. In non-fiction, I’m looking for an untold story or perspective or an unexplored area where you have expertise or real-life experience. As a reader of non-fiction, I want to be engaged in a relatable, accessible way. I am not looking for poetry, novellas, short story collections, screenplays, children’s or middle-grade books.
Applications open for 2025 Cameron Mackintosh Musical Theatre Writing Placement
westendbestfriend.co.uk – Tuesday January 7, 2025
Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) and Musical Theatre Network (MTN) have been awarded funding from the Mackintosh Foundation to support five placements as part of the Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer Scheme over 2023-2025, with the next placement being hosted by British Youth Music Theatre.
Through this scheme, professional musical theatre writers are paired with a company and given the opportunity to be involved in a range of work which could include writing/composing assignments on the host company’s projects, shadowing development/rehearsal processes, and working on development of their own musical theatre material. Recent hosts have included the Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre of Scotland, MAST Mayflower, Theatr Clwyd, Octagon Theatre, Hope Mill Theatre, and The Lowry.
This placement is for a musical theatre writing team of two. The opportunity will provide paid writing time and support for the team to develop a new musical over the course of the placement. This will commence from March 2025 and comprise six months of full-time work, to take place over a period of six to nine months. Alongside this, the composer of the team will collaborate with the wider BYMT team on their 2025 season of new musicals as a music coordinator, while the bookwriter will be involved in each show in a dramaturgical capacity. Following on from the placement, the team will have a guaranteed production or developmental workshop week in 2026 with a cast of approximately 36 young people.
New Publisher Listing: Loudhailer Books
firstwriter.com – Tuesday January 7, 2025
A publisher of quality fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
We are currently accepting submissions from authors, either directly or via a literary agent.
For fiction, we ask to see a synopsis and the first three chapters.
For non-fiction, please send a brief proposal including a synopsis, author profile and sample material.
Please send all submissions and enquiries by email.
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