‘Writing is not about youth but about spark’
irishtimes.com – Monday March 27, 2017
I’ve noticed recently that letters to young writers are becoming fashionable, for example, Colum McCann’s forthcoming book. But, in my case, I didn’t get my first story published till I was 30 and my first collection launched till I was 37. I wasn’t so much a late starter as a late knuckle-downer. So, this piece is for the not-so-young writers who should still go for it and make an impact on the world. Here are my pearls of wisdom (hopefully not paste):
Short story contest – deadline delayed
firstwriter.com – Sunday March 26, 2017
The deadline for firstwriter.com's Thirteenth International Short Story Contest has been delayed by one month to May 1, 2017, to allow for last minute entries.
Eight reasons that even a good book is rejected by publishers
scroll.in – Sunday March 26, 2017
Several years ago, as an aspiring novelist with stardust in my eyes, I used to spend most of my waking hours in Yahoo’s Books and Literature chatroom in the company of fellow aspiring writers. I clearly remember how one of the main topics of conversations used to be the number of rejection slips one had received on that particular day (or the previous week), agents/publishers who had requested a synopsis or proposal, and those who had just not bothered to respond. All of us were united by the looming sense of uncertainty, suspense, and the palpable realisation that the odds were firmly stacked against us.
Today, having spent more than seven years on the other side, first as a consultant and then an agent, I think many writers have wrong notions about rejections. While most books are rejected because of poor quality and incompetence (as they should be), there are several other factors that play a role in publishing decisions. And these affect “good” books too.
New Publisher Listing
firstwriter.com – Friday March 24, 2017
Publishes: Fiction;
Areas include: Adventure; Science;
Markets: Children's
Publishes books that allow kids to experience science through adventure and discovery. Submit complete ms by email.
Indie publisher Influx launches Kickstarter to raise £15k
thebookseller.com – Friday March 24, 2017
Influx Press has created a Kickstarter campaign in a bid to grow its business.
Supported by industry figures including author and editorial director Max Porter and author and campaigner Nikesh Shukla, the publisher intends to raise £15,000 to fund the press for the next two years.
After five years of publishing and receiving previous Arts Council funding, Influx has decided to "go down the crowd-funding route", following the successes of popular campaigns including those for The White Review, Dodo Ink and The Good Immigrant (Unbound).
Adult Book Sales Fell, Kids Books Rose in October
publishersweekly.com – Friday March 24, 2017
Sales of adult trade books fell 13.1% in October compared to October 2015, while sales in the children’s/young adult segment rose 1.9%, according to figures released Wednesday morning by the AAP as part of its StatShot program.
The decline in adult trade was led by a 24.1% drop in hardcover sales, the biggest trade format, as well as a 21.0% decline in mass market paperback and a 31.9% drop in the sale of physical audiobooks. Sales of digital audiobooks rose 7.6% in the month over October 2015, and e-book sales were up 2.6%. For the first 10 months of 2016, sales in the adult trade category were down 3.2% compared to the same period a year ago.
Lit Agents Join Forces In Agents Round Table
publishersweekly.com – Friday March 24, 2017
In response to a changing marketplace, 10 women literary agents have launched the Agents Round Table (ART), a consortium of independent agents who have pledged to share knowledge, resources, and contacts.
The goal of ART, according to Regina Ryan who has an eponymous shingle, is to better meet the needs of their clients. "This is new in the publishing world," Ryan said. "My authors love the idea of my being able to consult with this group. They know they’re getting advice and wisdom from first-rate agents with literally hundreds of years’ of experience in publishing."
New Magazine Listing
firstwriter.com – Thursday March 23, 2017
Publishes: Essays; Fiction; Nonfiction; Poetry;
Areas include: Nature; Short Stories;
Markets: Adult;
Preferred styles: Literary
Online journal publishing poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual art that explores the many complicated facets of the word "environment". Submit online between October 1 and May 1 each year.
Inside the Strange Symbiosis Between Independent Booksellers and Publishers
pastemagazine.com – Wednesday March 22, 2017
It may sound like a headline from The Onion, but the craziest thing about it is that it’s true: “Local bookseller buys out tech firm next door.” That’s how Anne Hollander describes what’s happening in Dallas, Texas, where Deep Vellum Books is set to expand into a neighboring space at some point in the next three months. Even crazier is that the bookstore is the successful outgrowth of a relatively new small publishing house.
The rise of the Irish literary magazine
independent.ie – Tuesday March 21, 2017
A vibrant new wave of Irish literary journals are offering insights into contemporary trends as well as giving new ideas and new writers an audience
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