Murder mystery author Jane Harper has six tips for writing a bestselling novel
abc.net.au – Sunday June 3, 2018
In 2014, Jane Harper decided she was finally going to do it — she was going to write a book.
She enrolled in an online writing course, and in just twelve weeks had completed her first draft of The Dry.
The fast paced, hard-edged crime novel was the kind novel Harper had always wanted to write.
"I like books with a bit of mystery and suspense," the former journalist says.
It was an instant hit. Critics loved The Dry for its elegant structure, Australian voice, and Harper's ability to vividly paint a landscape in the grip of drought.
Readers loved it for its tight pace, its awkward, lovable hero and its satisfying "whodunnit" reveal.
The book raced on to bestseller lists around the world, won multiple awards, and was sold in to more than 20 foreign language territories.
Today, Harper is still riding high on the success of The Dry.
The movie rights have been sold to Reece Witherspoon's production company, and the script is complete. Harper's second book, Force of Nature, has been another bestseller, and she has another on its way.
So, how does she do it?
While at the Sydney Writers' Festival, Harper revealed the secrets to writing a bestselling novel. Writers, grab your pencils...
PFD rebrands e-book imprint
thebookseller.com – Saturday June 2, 2018
Literary agency Peters Fraser + Dunlop is to rebrand its e-book list Ipso Books as Agora Books, and will look to expand its digital output with commercial frontlist titles.
Ipso Books was launched in September 2015, drawing on PFD’s estates business, with titles from the likes of Eric Ambler and Margery Allingham. The rationale was that in cases where publishers did not want to publish deep backlist titles, or did not have the rights, the agency would make them available to readers via e-book and print on demand.
Agora will also now seek to publish new writing, leading its push with Missing Pieces, a début novel by Laura Pearson, on 21st June, part of a three-book deal the list has struck with the writer.
New Publisher Listing
firstwriter.com – Friday June 1, 2018
Publishes: Fiction
Markets: Adult; Children's; Youth
Publisher founded by a hedge fund that successfully used data to predict (amongst other things) the bottom of the market in 2002, the 2008 crash, and Brexit. Now seeks to apply the same scientific approach to a new model of publishing based on predicting an author's chances of success. Where they find likely candidates, they will invest in the author by paying them an annual salary to become a full-time novelist. Applicants do not need to have already written a novel. The application process includes a psychometric test, an opportunity to discuss ideas, and a final interview. See website for full details.
Diane Banks' agency rebrands with backing from Luke Johnson
thebookseller.com – Thursday May 31, 2018
Diane Banks Associates has relaunched as creative talent agency Northbank Talent Management, aiming to be a “new force in the agenting world”, in collaboration with business leader Luke Johnson, who is financially backing the venture.
Northbank's c.e.o. Diane Banks approached Johnson, formerly chair of Channel 4, last year with the idea of creating a “360 degree service”. The revamped agency will now give equal weighting to books, broadcast, brand licensing and public speaking.
Agent Kate Burke will be responsible for the fiction side of the books strand and Chloe Seager will oversee children’s, young adult and fantasy. Northbank’s executive director Martin Redfern will deal with non-fiction, James Carroll will handle broadcast and brand licensing, while Northbank's non-executive director Alex Hickman will head up the public speaking bureau which aims to be "market beating". Banks promises that "Alex and I will use our combined experience of the bureau and talent management models respectively to create a new model which integrates the two".
New Literary Agency Listing
firstwriter.com – Thursday May 31, 2018
Handles: Fiction; Nonfiction
Areas include: Culture; Fantasy; Historical; Horror; Mystery; Romance; Science; Suspense
Markets: Adult; Youth
Preferred styles: Mainstream; Popular
Send query by email with first three chapters (fiction), or proposal, including table of contents and sample chapter (nonfiction). No picture books, poetry, or screenplays. See website for full guidelines and individual agent interests.
7 Writing Tips I'm Following This Summer To Help Me Finish My Novel By The End Of The Season
bustle.com – Wednesday May 30, 2018
Every May, I get a flurry in my stomach as summer swings into view. I'm going to write a novel this summer, I think to myself. I'm going to actually do it. After all, I have three whole months ahead of me! That's so much time.
Without fail, every year of college, I would turn in my last final, head to the coffee shop around the corner, and fire up Microsoft Word. I reasoned with myself that if I just put the time and effort I used on homework during the school year, I would have an amazing novel finished in no time. No sweat. For a blissful evening, I'd sip on a hibiscus iced tea and pound at the keys in pure bliss:Yes, I'm doing it! Book deal, here I come! Better start thinking about the movie rights!
Banker sets up new publishing house offering budding novelists £24,000 annual salary
inews.co.uk – Wednesday May 30, 2018
Jonathan De Montfort knew he wanted to be a novelist at the age of 15, but went into banking after his parents encouraged him to pursue a more stable career.
It was when he took a break from his job as a hedge fund manager and finally sat down to write his book that he saw a gap in the publishing market.
The banker’s new publishing house, De Montfort Literature, offers new writers £24,000 a year to join its ranks while they write, develop and produce their novel. The aim of the company is to “make being a novelist a valid career choice for aspiring writers”, while also creating more best-selling writers, it states.
New Magazine Listing
firstwriter.com – Wednesday May 30, 2018
Publishes: Poetry
Markets: Adult
Preferred styles: Literary
Send between three and eight previously unpublished poems in the body of an email with a brief bio, between May 1 and August 1 annually.
New Literary Agency Listing
firstwriter.com – Wednesday May 30, 2018
Handles: Fiction; Nonfiction
Markets: Adult; Children's; Family; Youth
Focused on discovering, developing and launching the careers of writers of colour, disability, working class, LGBTQ+ and anyone who feels their story is not being told in the mainstream. Writers must be born or resident in Britain. No poetry, plays, or screenplays. See website for full guidelines and to submit via online form.
Writers & Books launches The Ladder literary conference
rochestercitynewspaper.com – Wednesday May 30, 2018
Writers are all too familiar with dry spells, creative roadblocks, and blank-page totalitarianism. The analogies are plentiful, and for good reason. But once victory is claimed -- finished manuscript raised triumphantly in the air -- what next?
In part, this is exactly the question that Writers & Books and its Executive Director Kyle Semmel want to answer with the new literary conference called The Ladder. The June 16 conference at Rochester Riverfront Hotel will be a marathon: a day-long boot camp featuring the expertise of more than 40 literature industry professionals -- published writers, editors, agents, and assorted panelists among them -- and 12 different workshops, all designed to help writers up their game.
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