Struggling as an author? Stop writing only what you want to write

Earning a living as a writer is as likely as winning the lottery. Instead of writing books and persuading others to buy them, find out what people want to write, then do it for themPhilip Pullman: professional writers set to become ‘an endangered species’ due to low wagesI left school with a burning urge to lead the life of a writer: travelling like Byron, feted like Wilde before his fall, creating laughter like Wodehouse and crafting sentences like Nabokov. I had no professional contacts, so I wrote my masterpieces speculatively, and every path I went down ended with a rejection slip or total silence. The perceived wisdom then, as now, was that earning a living as a writer was about as likely as winning a lottery.Then I discovered the secret of marketing: instead of writing things and trying to persuade people to buy them, I would find out what writing services people needed and offer to provide them. So, at the same time as begging publishers and editors for commissions, I made myself available to anyone who might want to write an article or a book but did not feel able to do it for themselves. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #rejection slip

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Struggling as an author? Stop writing only what you want to write'


10 Picture Book Biographies of Authors to Show Kids How to Use Their Words

These picture book biographies of authors, including John Ronald's Dragons: The Story of J.R.R. Tolkien, show children how they can use their words to describe their inner and outer worlds. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-11-15 11:31:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #outer worlds #picture book


Sheikh Zayed Award Names Longlists: Literature, Children’s Literature, Young Authors

The first three categories' longlists have been released in the 17th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, based in Abu Dhabi. The post Sheikh Zayed Award Names Longlists: Literature, Children’s Literature, Young Authors appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-11-10 20:55:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #young authors #17th edition #abu dhabi #zayed book


These famous authors are expressing solidarity with the striking HarperCollins workers.

As you may have seen on Book Twitter today, the unionized workers of HarperCollins are striking to secure a fair contract, livable wages, and a more equitable publishing industry. Some 250 employees—across the editorial, publicity, sales, marketing, legal and design departments—agreed to go on... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-11-10 19:23:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #famous authors #unionized workers #indefinite strike #harpercollins


How ‘Dead Souls’ Taught Mel Brooks What Comedy Writing Could Be

“I’d never read anything like it,” says the actor and director, whose memoir “All About Me!” is newly out in paperback. “It was hysterically funny and incredibly moving at the same time. It’s like Gogol stuck a pen in his heart, and it didn’t even go through his mind on its way to the page.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-11-10 10:00:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dead souls #comedy writing #incredibly moving #memoir


Julie Powell, bestselling author of 'Julie & Julia,' dies at 49

Julie Powell was known for documenting her mission to cook every recipe in Julia Child's cookbook, 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking,' on her blog. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-11-01 18:39:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #julie powell #julie julia #julia child #french cooking #bestselling author


What I Write in My Journal is Just for Me (It is Not My Memoir)

I wrote in my journal this morning. I am not going to disclose its contents to you here, on this page, on Beyoncé’s internet. What I write in my journal, its unfiltered stream of consciousness, is just for me. A memoir is not a journal. * Also this morning: I wrote up to the very […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-10-28 08:57:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #memoir


Register Today for AAPI Communities in Conversation #11 with Malinda Lo, author of 'Last Night at the Telegraph Club'

Lo will appear in conversation with Cristina Mitra of the San Francisco Public Library. The live stream is set for Tuesday, November 1, at 1 p.m ET. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #malinda lo #register today #aapi communities #live stream


Hoover Can't Stop Weekly Sales Slide

Blockbuster first-week sales of Colleen Hoover’s 'It Starts with Us' was not enough to prevent unit sales of print books from falling 9.1% last week compared to the week ended October 23, 2021. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #colleen hoover #print books #week compared


Mary Karr on Navigating Memory While Writing Memoir

The following is an excerpt from Joy Harjo’s The Art of Memoir and appeared in Lit Hub’s The Craft of Writing newsletter—sign up here. * At unexpected points in life, everyone gets waylaid by the colossal force of recollection. One minute you’re a grown-ass woman, then a whiff of cumin conjures... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-10-21 08:53:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mary karr #writing memoir #joy harjo #sthe craft #writing newsletter—sign #memoir


Sri Lankan Author Shehan Karunatilaka Named 2022 Booker Prize Winner

Her Majesty the Queen Consort presented the prize to Shelan Karunatilaka for 'The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida' in a ceremony on October 17. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #maali almeida


Discover New Japanese Books and Authors: Close-up on Japan Book Bank

As the largest online catalog of published Japanese content in the world, Japan Book Bank is the best and easiest way for publishers and copyright agents to discover new Japanese books and authors. PW caught up with Yoshiaki Hamza Yoshino of Japan Book Publishers Association to discuss JBB and... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pw caught #publishers association


Why Lydia Millet writes about what frightens her most

Lydia Millet, author of 'A Children's Bible,' joins the L.A. Times Book Club to discuss her new novel, 'Dinosaurs.' Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-10-10 13:00:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lydia millet #times book


Watchmen author Alan Moore: ‘I’m definitely done with comics’

As he releases his first short story collection, the revered writer talks about magic, the problem with superhero movies and why he will never write another graphic novelI’ve been enamoured of prose fiction for quite a long while,” says Alan Moore. He is speaking to me from his home in... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-10-07 09:00:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #alan moore #back seat #coming home #superhero movies #prose fiction #professional career #40-year career #short fiction #science fiction


Hachette Book Group Works to Diversify Slate of Authors

Hachette Book Group took another step toward bringing more BIPOC writers to the table in an equitable way by cohosting a Hurston/Wright Writers Week Workshop retreat for the first time this summer. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bipoc writers #book group


Jada Pinkett Smith writing memoir about life, 'complicated marriage to Will Smith'

Jada Pinkett Smith's memoir will take readers on 'a rollercoaster ride from the depths of suicidal depression to the heights of personal rediscovery.' Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-10-06 19:59:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #complicated marriage #memoir


French author Annie Ernaux has won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature.

This morning, the Swedish Academy awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature to the French author Annie Ernaux “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory.” Annie Ernaux is the author of some twenty works of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-10-06 11:09:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nobel prize #clinical acuity #collective restraints #personal memory #annie ernaux #french author


French Author Annie Ernaux Wins Nobel Prize For Literature

Annie Ernaux, 82, was cited for “the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory." Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2022-10-06 11:03:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #annie ernaux #clinical acuity #collective restraints #personal memory #french author


Al Pacino is reportedly writing his first memoir.

As Tony Montana would probably say if he were a literary agent: In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the memoir. That’s right! Al Pacino is reportedly in talks to sell his first memoir […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-10-05 14:49:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #al pacino #literary agent #memoir


It's Never Too Late: Seven Authors on Making Their YA Debuts After Age 50

These first-time authors are out to prove that life experience and hindsight are advantages when it comes to crafting riveting stories for teens. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-09-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #life experience


Hilary Mantel, Prize-Winning Author Known for ‘Wolf Hall,’ Dies at 70

The two-time Booker Prize-winning author was known for “Wolf Hall” and two other novels based on the life of Thomas Cromwell. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-09-24 00:46:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hilary mantel #wolf hall #novels based #thomas cromwell #prize-winning author