Struggling authors know writing is a rich person’s hobby | Letters

Stephen Carver, Guinevere Glasfurd, Brian Needham and Jo McMillan respond to Joanne Harris’s article about horribly low pay in the publishing worldRegarding Joanne Harris’s article (Horribly low pay is pushing out my fellow authors – and yes, that really does matter, 7 December), I guess I’m a professional author, though I never really think of myself as one. I’ve published four books (three nonfiction, one novel), ghost-written another, co-edited an anthology of new writing, and I’m under contract for my fifth book. I have a respectable academic publishing history and have even won an award. I don’t have an agent, but I’m currently writing for three mainstream publishers.I don’t think of myself as a professional author as it has never paid the bills. I survive by teaching other people how to write, through freelance mentoring and manuscript appraisal, supplemented by copy-editing and proofreading. I’m part of what you might call “blue-collar literature”. You won’t have heard of people like me, but we keep on banging out text anyway. My writing is what gets done around the day job, at evenings and weekends. The fees from this are pocket money at best. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2022-12-11 17:07:25 UTC ]
News tagged with: #joanne harris #fellow authors #ve published #mainstream publishers #day job #academic publishing #anthology

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Struggling authors know writing is a rich person’s hobby | Letters'


Struggling authors know writing is a rich person’s hobby | Letters

Stephen Carver, Guinevere Glasfurd, Brian Needham and Jo McMillan respond to Joanne Harris’s article about horribly low pay in the publishing worldRegarding Joanne Harris’s article (Horribly low pay is pushing out my fellow authors – and yes, that really does matter, 7 December), I guess I’m a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-12-11 17:07:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #joanne harris #fellow authors #ve published #mainstream publishers #day job #academic publishing #anthology


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... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rejection slip


Authors Guild Begins Letter-Writing Campaign to Meet with Publishers

As part of its ongoing effort to raise writers’ income, the Authors Guild is sending an open letter to members of the Association of American Publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #american publishers #ongoing effort #authors guild #open letter


Don’t write what you know, write what you feel: bestselling authors offer tips on World Book Day

Malorie Blackman advises budding authors to pick up on news stories, but Julia Donaldson warns of pitfalls – and Alan Moore says you should read terrible books as well as good onesThe key to being a good writer? It’s being a good reader, authors including Carol Ann Duffy and Alan Moore have said... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-03-02 15:43:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news stories #alan moore #lee child #important things #world book


Everyone’s Reading Books About Hot Faeries Now. This Bestselling Author Has Been Writing Them for Decades.

The Prisoner’s Throne author Holly Black reflects on the rise of “romantasy” novels, explicit sex scenes, and BookTok. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2024-03-18 21:31:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reading books #bestselling author


Pietsch Touts New Marketing Efforts in Letter to Authors

In his last annual letter to authors as Hachettte Book Group CEO, Michael Pietsch hit on a number of topics, including the publisher’s steps to improve its marketing efforts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-26 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #annual letter #marketing efforts #book group


More than 600 sign open letter decrying cancellation of German event for Palestinian author

After an award ceremony for a Palestinian author at the Frankfurt Book Fair was canceled, more than 600 literary figures have signed an open letter denouncing the decision. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-10-16 09:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #palestinian author #award ceremony #frankfurt book fair


Amis, Hitchens and Larkin: bad behaviour and a messy personal life were once a gift for authors. Not any more | Martha Gill

Flaws used to feed their sales but now writers are expected to be saints‘As you get older you realise that all these things – prizes, reviews, advances, readers – it’s all showbiz, and the real action starts with your obituary.”Martin Amis first started spinning in favour of his future... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-05-27 17:31:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #martin amis #bad behaviour #martha gill #past week #personal life #vice versa #literary world


500+ Authors Sign Letter Supporting HarperCollins Union’s Strike

More than 500 authors have signed a letter standing with the HarperCollins union as they reach of month of being on strike. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-12-12 18:27:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harpercollins union #harpercollins


Erika L. Sánchez Wishes More Authors Would Write About Money

“I grew up working class and money was a factor in everything we did,” says the poet and novelist, whose new book is the memoir “Crying in the Bathroom.” “That’s why I always write about the financial realities of my characters.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-07-07 09:00:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #working class #memoir crying #memoir


Join the #FReadom Letter Writing Campaign to Combat Censorship!

The #FReadom campaign is asking you to write your school board with provided templates to support school libraries and access to information. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-01-04 11:39:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #combat censorship #school board #libraries


Author of 'My Monticello' on Writing a Debut Book With Buzz

Jocelyn Nicole Johnson, at 50, is not the average age of a debut author. But the public school teacher describes herself as a “literary debutante” with the October publication of “My Monticello.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-09-28 13:06:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #debut author #average age #debut book


Octavia Butler’s 1979 bio is an object lesson in writing author bios.

Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Review of Books published a fairly wild essay by Miguel Esteban who, at the tender age of 14, commissioned a now-famous essay on race in science fiction from Octavia Butler. The whole piece is worth a read (the gall of teenage boys! the grace of Octavia!) but... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-07-26 13:40:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #octavia butler #object lesson #tender age #teenage boys #science fiction


‘A terrifying precedent’: author describes struggle to publish British army history

Simon Akam says Penguin Random House cancelled his book about the British army, The Changing of the Guard, and demanded back his advance after he refused to let the MoD vet itIn the summer of 2015, journalist Simon Akam was thrilled when Penguin Random House (PRH) imprint William Heinemann won a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-07-23 13:00:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon akam #british army #george orwell #ernest hemingway #publisher dropping #penguin random house


In-Person Author Tours Won't Be Back Anytime Soon

There are a number of big questions to be answered and logistics to be ironed out before authors hit the road again. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-04-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big questions


‘A Light in the Dark’ is a love letter to directors, personal flaws and all

The latest addition to film historian David Thomson’s opinionated take on the film industry is notable for what it says — and what it doesn’t. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-04-12 07:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #love letter #latest addition #film industry


How an acclaimed author decided to write fiction for Black women like her

Deesha Philyaw talks about the long gestation of her collection 'The Secret Lives of Church Ladies,' a Times Book Prize finalist for first fiction. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-04-06 16:30:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #write fiction #black women #long gestation #secret lives #church ladies #times book


Dr Gwen Adshead | 'I wanted to write something that could be read by a lay person'

"I have spent decades working with people who have caused horror and grief to others. I will tell horror stories in this book but I will also tell stories of change and recovery. It may surprise the reader that this is possible.” So writes forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist Dr Gwen... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-19 19:46:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #horror stories #remarkable book


Bell and NLT invite kids to join letter writing project

Usborne author PG Bell, creator of the children’s book series The Train to Impossible Places, has partnered with the National Literacy Trust and The Postal Museum on a letter writing project inviting children to share their experiences of the pandemic with future generations.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-13 22:56:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book series #future generations #children’s book


Alison Rich Takes Reins on PRH's Author Brand Development

Alison Rich has been named to the newly created role of senior v-p of author development at Penguin Random House, and is charged with growing authors' platforms in ways that may be tangential to the business of marketing their books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-11-12 05:00:00 UTC ]
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