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Writers' Newsletter

Issue #250
January 2024

The Ingredients for a First-Rate (Crime) Novel

The Ingredients for a First-Rate (Crime) Novel

By G. Miki Hayden
Instructor at Writer's Digest University online and private writing coach

firstwriter.com – Wednesday December 6, 2023

I’ve been an instructor at Writer’s Online Workshops (from Writer’s Digest) since the start of this century, and a writer and writing instructor since well before that. I’ve taught hundreds of classes, which I can multiply by a modest average of seven students per class, so I’ve seen a lot of student writing, and much of it even credible. Most of the work could use some smoothing out, aka editing, however, and I’ve done a lot of that daily in dealing with the many class assignments students post, plus in editing chapters and whole novels privately. I can find certifiable flaws in almost every piece I look at. If I can’t find defects (rarely), my mouth drops open in astonishment.

In a mystery writing class I taught in August 2019 (my student reminds me), I discovered quite a bit in the assignments from writers that needed improvement—not an unusual situation. But what was different from what I see in most of the class material I work with was a story with elements that were outstanding. The author (Walter Sutton) and I began to work with his pieces of writing in class, and then I worked with him after and since, to this very day, in editing two of his novels (going into the third): Finders Keepers and Losers Weepers, both now in print and ebook at Amazon, and with Flash Finnegan Book 3 to come, working title, Knick Knack Patty Whack.

But because I acted as the editor of the two finished/in print books from a traditional publisher, I couldn’t write a review to post on Amazon—such is the rule of the site—even though I’ve admired Walt’s work from the first, and I still do.

So I decided to write an article about the books and explain what I respect in author Suttons’ crime fiction novels and use that as a sort of lesson for other crime fic and even general fiction writers.

[Read the full article]


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News

Some of this month's news for writers from around the web.

Influx Press ends acquisitions hiatus

Influx Press ends acquisitions hiatus

thebookseller.com – Friday January 19, 2024

Independent publisher Influx Press has ended its acquisitions hiatus, with several new titles scheduled for 2024 and a plan to resume full operations by 2025.  

Co-founders Kit Caless and Gary Budden founded Influx Press in 2011, seeing significant success with the James Tait Black-winning Attrib. by Eley Williams in 2017, Eliza Clark’s Boy Parts in 2020, and Percival Everett’s Booker Prize-shortlisted The Trees in 2022. 

Caless is stepping back from day-to-day operations to pursue academic interests, but will remain on board as editor-at-large. 

Budden will be spearheading a new list and new direction for the press. He said: “I’m delighted to have made the decision to continue Influx, after a necessary period of rest and reflection deciding the future direction we wanted to take the press in. I am very excited about our 2024 titles and to be continuing our commitment to publishing bold and innovative literature."

[Read the full article]

Writers' Handbook 2025 - Out Now!

  • Over 1,500 markets for writers
  • Includes literary agents, publishers, and magazines
  • Available now in print and as an ebook

Writers' Handbook

Click here to buy it now

Papatango Announce 2024 New Writing Prize

Papatango Announce 2024 New Writing Prize

theatreweekly.com – Thursday January 18, 2024

Papatango today announce that their 2024 New Writing Prize will open for submissions at noon on Wednesday 17 January, until noon on Monday 11 March. This Prize launches a new partnership with Park Theatre, who will co-produce the winning play with Papatango in a full run on their main stage.

Judged anonymously, the Papatango New Writing Prize was the UK’s first, and remains the only annual, opportunity guaranteeing a new writer a full production – for 2025 in Park200 at Park Theatre, publication by Nick Hern Books, a royalty of 8% of the box office, and a £7,500 commission with full developmental support.

In addition, every entrant receives feedback on their script – a commitment made by no other company, especially significant as the Prize averages more submissions on a yearly basis than any other playwriting award.

[Read the full article]

Buckley joins Hannah Sheppard Literary Agency after three-year break

Buckley joins Hannah Sheppard Literary Agency after three-year break

thebookseller.com – Friday January 12, 2024

Louise Buckley will join the Hannah Sheppard Literary Agency (HS-LA) this month as associate agent, returning to publishing after a three-year break.

Working alongside its founder, Hannah Sheppard, Buckley joins the agency on 15th January and will build a new list of authors with a focus on upmarket and book-club fiction, as well as further developing the agency’s links with co-agents. Both Buckley and Sheppard will be at London Book Fair in March, a year after the agency was launched.

Buckley was most recently an associate Literary Agent at Zeno Agency Ltd where she represented a roster of commercial and literary fiction, including Anne Griffin’s When All is Said (Sceptre), which spent five weeks at number one in Ireland and sold into 17 territories.

[Read the full article]

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Listings

A selection of the new listings added to firstwriter.com this month.

New Publisher Listing: SRL Publishing Ltd

New Publisher Listing: SRL Publishing Ltd

firstwriter.com – Monday January 15, 2024

We don’t care about your colour; we care about your words.

Writers will never be asked their sexuality, race, or religion – only if the author wishes to disclose, and we will never use this information to generate sales. We advise anyone who is thinking of submitting their work to us, to not put their race in the subject heading. We view all submissions as equal and will not prioritise any submissions from certain minority groups.

We love stories – fiction or non-fiction. We will consider most genres, topics, or formats.

No graphic or eroticised incest/rape; necrophilia; paedophilia; bestiality; erotica, fetishes or porn; or anything that encourages violence, hate, or racism. No poetry, self-help titles, short story collections, anthologies, or faith-based books. No AI-generated submissions in any form. These include works that are written or co-written by AI technology.

[See the full listing]


New Literary Agent Listing: Lynette Eason

New Literary Agent Listing: Lynette Eason

firstwriter.com – Friday January 19, 2024

I am looking for Christian authors wishing to write and sell to the Christian market. This means that I’m searching for clients who adhere to the teachings of Christ and Scripture. I’m looking to represent authors of all types of Christian fiction. I’m also interested in YA nonfiction and may be interested in some adult nonfiction, depending on the topic. I am not looking for children’s books.

[See the full listing]


New Magazine Listing: Butcher's Dog

New Magazine Listing: Butcher's Dog

firstwriter.com – Wednesday January 17, 2024

Proudly edited and published in the heart of North East England. We print two unthemed poetry magazines each year in Spring and Autumn. Every issue features original cover artwork and contains a selection of up to twenty-five exceptional poems. Poems are selected on their merit in an anonymous reading process, supporting a more inclusive body of contemporary writing than the publishing industry currently represents.

[See the full listing]


Click here for more of this month's new listings >

Articles

Some of this month's articles for writers from around the web.

Literary speed dating: swipe left or right?

Literary speed dating: swipe left or right?

artshub.com.au – Friday January 19, 2024

It’s the start of the year, so maybe one of your resolutions is to make more meaningful connections – not so much in a romantic fashion, but in a career sense. Do you have a manuscript set aside, little time and no idea how to proffer it to the right hands, so that it may eventually become published? Literary speed dating may be the answer. But, beware, it requires preparation and may not be the right avenue for those too shy and nervous to pitch in person.

Like the regular dating format, the literary version follows a similar principle of setting up participants with a limited time to engage with one another – tête-à-tête or online. With this quick-talking, power chat formula, you can try and gain interest in your book with a number of industry professionals. Perhaps a better name for it would be literary speed pitching.

[Read the full article]

How to Write a Query Letter

How to Write a Query Letter

electricliterature.com – Wednesday January 17, 2024

A practical guide to getting literary agents interested in your book

When submitting to an agent or editor, you will need a query letter. The purpose of a query letter is to briefly introduce yourself and your work to the editor or agent, with the hope they’ll be intrigued enough to want to read more. 

Here is a rather typical method I’ve used. Most query letters contain three or four paragraphs, and you’ll want to keep it to no more than a page, single spaced. [Please note: I’ve inserted additional comments in brackets.] 

First Paragraph 

There are one of two ways to approach the first paragraph. You can keep it simple by stating the name of your work, the genre, and why you are querying this particular agent or editor. For example, here is what I used for How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences

[Read the full article]

R.L. Stine says writing from your heart is overrated

R.L. Stine says writing from your heart is overrated

cbc.ca – Wednesday January 17, 2024

R.L. Stine has maintained the same routine for decades. Every day, the author of the phenomenally successful Goosebumps and Fear Street series writes at least 2,000 words, which explains how he's been able to pen more than 350 books over the course of his career.

"I used to be twice as fast," Stine tells Q's Tom Power in an interview. "I'm old now. I used to do 4,000 a day."

The 80-year-old master of fright has now released his first non-fiction book, There's Something Strange About My Brain: Writing Horror for Kids, in which he shares everything he knows about crafting a scary story that kids will love.

[Read the full article]

Click here for the rest of this month's articles >

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