For Writers

If you’re visiting this site as a fellow writer, hello and thanks for your interest!

I’ve been keeping a blog since 2003, long before it occurred to me to begin writing for publication. But this blog starts only from the beginning of my days as an aspiring author.

You can find posts about how I found an agent (and general stuff about agents too, or mine in particular) also about the process of getting published.

As to my own advice about getting published, whew, so much has already been written on the subject.

All I can tell you for sure is this – I don’t seem to have any clue how to get anyone’s manuscript published but mine. Once in a while I’ve tried to help a friend by critting their manuscript or introducing them to an agent. So far, no cigar - I have totally failed to help get a single one of my friends a book deal!

The only cast-iron advice I can give is this – research the subject. At least you’ll have an idea of the pitfalls, if nothing else.

Two great places to start that I know: Litopia Writer’s Colony and Writewords.org. They are two terrific websites for helping people get critiques of their work from fellow writers, both published and unpublished.

Litopia is FREE but there is an entrance test for access to full membership. Only full members can critique each other’s work within the colony, or pitch their submissions to the resident agent. There is also access to a top London literary agent who answers questions in a dedicated ‘Ask the Agent’ forum, as well as to a US-based editor and publisher. Litopia also produces a daily podcast (see above) about the publishing industry and writing.

Writewords charges a subscription of £20 or £35 per year but has more UK-based members than Litopia and also has a wide range of specialist critique groups, including Young Children, Children and Young Adult. Writewords also has a database of jobs (freelance writing) national writing competitions and very importantly – agent contact details. It also features regular interviews with published authors (many who started at Writewords) and literary agents.

Both groups also have a lively, dynamic discussion forum where writers at EVERY stage of the publication process can share experience, successes, woes and everything about the writing process.

You’ll find more advice on those websites than I could ever possibly give you.

If you are a writer and are looking to get published, I strongly advise you to join one or both of these terrific resources for writers. The members of both communities will make you feel you’re not alone in the process and support you all the way.

Good luck!!!