25 November 2013 - What's new
25 November 2013
- This week has yielded some rather unexpected figures from both sides of the Atlantic relating to ebook sales. In the States it looks as if ebook sales are in decline, whereas in the UK there's also a tempering in projections of ebook growth. News Review
- Changing Direction? Exploring a New Genre? 'It's been a very good year for Compass BooksAn Imprint Of John Hunt Publishing. Focuses on practical and informative ‘how-to’ books for writers with lots of interesting new titles on our list and even more in production. Rather than concentrating on beginners' books, we're constantly on the lookout for titles that offer sound, practical advice for the more experienced writer looking at changing genre, written by authors who are widely published in that particular area...' Suzanne Ruthven conributes the sixth article in Talking to publishers. The other articles in the series are from the editors of different genres.
- Writing Memoir and Autobiography - if you want to write a memoir you're in good company - lots of writers want to try their hand at this category. Chris HolifieldManaging director of WritersServices; spent working life in publishing,employed by everything from global corporations to start-ups; track record includes: editorial director of Sphere Books, publishing director of The Bodley Head, publishing director for start-up of upmarket book club, The Softback Preview, editorial director of Britain’s biggest book club group, BCA, and, most recently, deputy MD and publisher of Cassell & Co. She is also currently the Director of the Poetry Book Society; During all of this time aware of problems faced by writers, as publishing changed from idiosyncratic cottage industry, 'occupation for gentlemen', into corporate business of today. Writers encountered increasing difficulty in getting books edited or published. Authors create the books which are the raw material for the whole business. She believes it is time to bring them back to centre stage. looks at how to set about writing your memoir and how to publish it. Writing Memoir
- 'Work is the only interesting thing for me if I'm working out on the edge of the unknown. The immediacy of discovery, that's what's interesting to me. Every book is a different country. When I start my fourth, it will be as if I've never written a book before. I'll be completely at sea, and nothing I've ever done before in my life will help me at all.' Donna Tartt, author of The Goldfinch, in the Sunday Times' Culture in our Comment column.
- Our wide-ranging links of the week: Publishing crisis? Time to create a Spotify for books | Media Network | Guardian Professional, HarperCollins UK boss tells publishers: take storytelling back from digital rivals | Books | theguardian.com, A Look at the Book Business From the Inside -- Vulture and BookBrunch - Where every picture really does tell a story.
- Blurb-writing - Our service is for anyone who is having difficulty producing their cover or jacket copy and may be especially helpful for self-publishers. Let our skilled editor/writers do the job for you, so that you end up with a professional blurb. See our Services for Self-publishers for other services offered.
- 'In nearly all good fiction, the basic - all but inescapable - plot form is this: A central character wants something, goes after it despite opposition (perhaps including his own doubts), and so arrives at a win, lose, or draw.' John Gardner in our Writers' Quotes.
