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Talking to Publishers 10

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How-to books for experienced writers - by experienced writers

How-to books for experienced writers - by experienced writers

Compass BooksAn Imprint Of John Hunt Publishing. Focuses on practical and informative ‘how-to’ books for writers (an imprint of John Hunt publishing) started off with a brand new concept - to publish how-to books that cater for more experienced writers as well as beginners. The titles were commissioned from authors with plenty of personal experience in a particular genre who could identify with the writer aiming for a change of direction or intent on exploring new genres. It was also evident from comments made by those providing the endorsements or advance reviews for new CB titles that even professional writers can always benefit from fresh ideas and viewpoints - and weren't afraid to admit it!

In reality, no writer can exist for ever in a comfort cocoon of familiar marketplaces since editors are constantly changing, publishers frequently alter their focus, and all too often published authors find themselves redundant. That's why it's necessary for relatively new or middle list authors to be constantly re-inventing themselves to stay ahead of these market changes. Compass Points titles provide a cut-to-the-chase approach to how-to books that doesn't rely on the usual beginners' instruction in order to pad out the number of pages, and weigh-in at a mere 25,000 words packed with valuable advice - not padding.

For example, Suzanne Ruthven's extensive experience as author, commissioning editor for a publishing house, and editor of a creative writing magazine shows exactly why typescripts are rejected and reveals this knowledge in a practical and entertaining way with Compass Points: Creating Meaningful Dialogue; or the full-length How To Write For The How-To Market and The Country Writer's Craft that show you don't have to be an expert on anything to write about it - you just need an understanding of the right approach.

While Simon Whaley gives us a crash-course with Compass Points: Photography for Writers and explains why providing photographs to support your articles and features give added editor-appeal; Sarah-Beth Watkins advises on the right way to go about Telling Life's Tales and even Life Coaching For Writers, aimed specifically at more experienced writers who have had some success and want to move on from being an amateur scribbler to a professional writer.

It is also advisable to study the intricacies of specific genres of novel writing if that's what you plan to write. Sally Spedding, herself author of eight paranormal, historical and psychological thrillers, and who has helped many writers achieve publishing success, leads us through the minefield of How To Write A Chiller Thriller, one of the most competitive genres in modern publishing.

Or there's author Nik Morton's popular Write A Western in 30 Days, which has been featured in several creative writing magazines.

Widely published author of books, stories and plays, Nicholas Corder tells us how to go about Creating Convincing Characters and is currently working on Writing Crime & Detection in Fact and Fiction - possibly the most popular genre of all.
Experienced writers don't need to read about the basics of creative writing, they need to learn about the quirks and foibles of the new genre they wish to explore - and Compass Books provides that information. Find these books on their website.

Carys Llewellyn is a freelance book reviewer specialising in MB&S, creative writing, history and country. Her reviews appear on Amazon and have been published in Pentacle magazine, Writers' Wheel, Pagan Square and The New WriterThis well-regarded magazine comes out six times a year and publishes the best in fact, fiction and poetry, including top stories from the Fish Prize and Real Writers annual competitions. Runs annual Prose and Poetry prizes, including short stories, novellas and essays, material to be submitted by end November. The magazine is towards the more literary end of the spectrum, but offers more publishing opportunities and market information for subscribers than other UK-based creative writing magazines. http://www.thenewwriter.com, as well as included in a wide variety of M B & S blogs.

 

Talking to publishers 1 on Compass Books' own books for writers

Talking to publishers 2 on Top Hat Historical Fiction

Talking to publishers 3 on Our Street BooksAn Imprint Of John Hunt Publishing. For children of all ages, deliver a potent mix of fantastic, rip-roaring adventure and fantasy stories to excite the imagination; spiritual fiction to help the mind and the heart grow; humorous stories to make the funny bone grow; historical tales to evolve interest; and all manner of subjects that stretch imagination, grab attention, inform, inspire and keep the pages turning. Our subjects include Non-fiction and Fiction, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Religious, Spiritual, Historical, Adventure, Social Issues, Humour, Folk Tales and more. for and about children

Talking to publishers 4 on Sassy BooksAn Imprint Of John Hunt Publishing. Hip, real and raw, SASSY books share untamed truths, spiritual insights and entrepreneurial witchcraft with women who want to kick ass in life and start revolutions.

Talking to publishers 5 on Chronos popular history

Talking to publishers 6 on Changing Direction? Exploring a new genre?

Talking to publishers 7 Paranormal and Parapsychology

Talking to publishers 8 Christian AlternativeAn Imprint Of John Hunt Publishing. A space at the edge where the light shines through. Books

Talking to publishers 9 Lodestone Books for Young Adults

Talking to publishers 11 - New thinking in business and management