What's New in 2022
- 'Normally agents and editors read a book thinking. "Do I love this, would other people love this?" Now a new concern has sprung up: "Will other people object to it?" You're worrying about whether what characters say can be taken out of context, screengrabbed and put on Twitter, and that the author will be punished. Books are judged by people who haven't read them more than ever before...' An unnamed publishing editor in the Sunday Times Culture.
- How to get your book translated into English (without it costing the earth) asks writers who are not native English speakers with a manuscript which needs polishing or translating: "if your English is good enough, what about translating your book yourself or writing in English, and then getting your work polished and copy edited by a professional editor who is a native English speaker?" This could be a cost-effective way of reaching the international English-speaking market.
- English Language Editing is a polishing service for writers writing in English who are not native English speakers. It is specially designed to help non-native speakers of English to find success in the international publishing market. If English is not your native language, you may require extra help to take your work to a professional standard and a native level of fluency.
- The 2022 Page Turner Awards are open to all writers over 18 across the world in five categories. Entry fees and £35,000 prize fund. Closing 31 May 2022.
- Other live competitions.
- Links from the publishing world: encouraging news about US book sales, Bookstore Sales Rose 28% in 2021; a few years ago, I dove into romance novels again with absolute delight, How to get into romance books - and why you should - Polygon; more on romance, the romance sector from a representation point of view, The Bookseller - Features - Love without limits: editors and authors on the barriers to a diverse romance sector; and one author's experience of having her prize-winning book assessed by experts who would detect and reform its problematic racism and ableism, How sensitivity readers corrupt literature - UnHerd.
- WritersServices can provide a range of services working on your manuscript, to help you get it ready for submission or self-publishing. We are UK-based, offer exceptional value and our skilled professional editors have been working on writers' manuscripts for 17 years. We have introduced free samples and free assessments on most of these services, please see the individual service page. Copy editing services.
- Health Hazards is our special series about the various health risks for writers, including the dreaded Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. If you know you're spending too much time at a keyboard, it's worth making sure you're being careful about how you're sitting, your eyes and your wrists. Although Coronavirus may be the main health risk you're focused on at the moment, these special dangers writers face are worth thinking about.
- Links about writing: are authors artists who should worry first and foremost about creating the best art they can, or is it more important to understand the business side of the equation? Some Words About Word Counts - by Lincoln Michel; a strong character arc really is the key to an emotionally affecting novel, one that will make a strong connection with readers, Want to Write a Great Novel? Be Brave. | Jane Friedman; five poets on their work, A Zoom of One's Own: Poetry 2022; and "I don't remotely feel as if I've been ‘cancelled'", Author Joanne Harris turns down US book deal over censoring of ‘f-bomb' | Joanne Harris | The Guardian.
- Poets are naturally keen to see their work in print but it's actually quite hard to get a first collection taken on by a publisher. This is because most poetry lists are pretty small. Poetry is not in general given much space in bookshops and it is difficult to achieve any sales for first collections. Self-publishing offers a good approach and the live poetry scene is much livelier than it used to be. Getting your poetry published
- More links from writers: the author who had his manuscript knocked back by publishers 44 times, The Bookseller - Author Interviews - Douglas Stuart | 'Mungo was a way to explore masculinity and how we teach little boys how to be men'; the freedom for anyone to reproduce or reimagine books once they are out of copyright is corrupting classic texts, The Great Gapsby? How modern editions of classics lost the plot | Publishing | The Guardian; the difficult set of decisions which face a literary executor, When a Writer Dies: Making Difficult Decisions About the Work Left Behind | Jane Friedman; and I've found darkness lurking in some of the most unexpected places, The Darker Side of Jane Austen ‹ CrimeReads.
- Our 20 Services for Writers.
- ‘Words may, through the devotion, the skill, the passion, and the luck of writers prove to be the most powerful thing in the world.' William Golding in our Writers' Quotes.
- ‘We are getting more and more manuscripts in English from all over the world. A decade ago we'd get two but mostly from scientists or journalists but now we get a lot in fiction and YA... But also with a lot of fan fiction in Holland and Scandinavia, these people will write in English straight away because they also want to get published in the UK or US. Back in the day the largest goal for authors was to be published in their own language but nowadays... if they write in English, the world is their audience.' Paul Sebes, founder of Amsterdam-headquartered Sebes & Bisseling Literary Agency, which has just opened a London office, in the Bookseller.
- A must-read for children's authors is Suzy Jenvey's special series for WritersServices, the four-part Essential Guide to Writing for Children. The first article looks at the all-important question of age groups and what you should be aware of in writing for each one. The second part is - Before You Write: What is My Story Going to be? The third part deals with Starting to Write and the fourth part is about Submitting Your Work to Agents and Editors. This series by a hugely experienced children's editorial director and agent helps you get started on your own story or develop what you're already working on.
- Our Writer's edit is a top-level new service for writers who want line-editing as well as copy editing. Does your manuscript need skilled professional input from an editor to help you get it into the best possible shape for submission or self-publishing? This may be the service for you, offering the kind of editing which publishers' senior editors used to do in-house on their authors' manuscripts and which is now hard to find. Our other copy editing services.
- The Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2022 is for adults writing poetry for children. It's open to all poets across the world over the age of 16. The entry fee is €14 per poem and the prize is worth €1,000. Closing 31 March 2022.
- There's an interesting crop of links this week. From the publishing world: not unexpectedly, year one of the pandemic was an e-book bonanza, The Bookseller - Features - Digital sales contract by 13% at the Big Six as large houses report e-book dip; the hot topic of the week is AI and audiobooks, AI Influence on Audiobooks Grows-As Does Controversy; more on this, Synthetic Voices Want to Take Over Audiobooks | WIRED; at last there's some movement on improving accessibility, Publishers Are Increasing Accessibility to Content; and the extraordinary growth of a challenger to Amazon, Interview: Andy Hunter on Bookshop.org's Second Anniversary.
- From our Endorsements page: 'I am delighted with the feedback and so pleased with all the great suggestions which were so much more than I expected. A really brilliant service.' Sally Gibbins , Birmingham, UK, on her children's copy editing.
- Are you struggling to get someone to look at your poetry? Our Poetry Critique service for 150 lines of poetry can help. Our Poetry Collection Editing service, unique to WritersServices, edits your collection to prepare it for submission or self-publishing. Both can provide the professional editorial input you need.
- Links about writing: a surprising new trend, Tales of the unexpected: the surprise boom in UK short stories | Short stories | The Guardian; beware sites which charge thousands of pounds upfront for ghostwritten books, The Bookseller - News - Okri warns authors over ghostwriting sites claiming to have written string of bestsellers; you'd think that being a senior publicity manager at a children's publisher, I'd be in a great place to do PR for my own book, Putting on my second hat; and the ring of the doorbell, the pop of a champagne cork, a peal of laughter from another room, The Art of Throwing Truly Memorable Parties - In Suspense Novels ‹ CrimeReads.
- Why has my manuscript been rejected? It is demoralising to get your manuscript rejected by publishers or agents. Here are some of the reasons why this happens and suggestions of what you can do about it. Avoiding rejection.
- More links from writers: they're often the star of the show, but Why Do We Feel So Much Empathy for Villains? ‹ CrimeReads; a desperate resolution - get up an hour earlier than necessary six days a week and spend those sixty minutes writing short fiction, Here's What Can Happen When You Resolve to Write a Little Every Day | Jane Friedman; those who have mastered the art of influence, attracting social media followers and fame, do have a book inside them - and it seems publishers don't want to let it stay there, Writing under the influence: how social media stars are taking over publishing; and an extraordinary story from WWII, The Diabolical Witchcraft of MI9: How British Intelligence Encouraged POWs to Escape and Gather Intelligence ‹ CrimeReads.
- Which service should I choose to help me get my work into good shape for submission or self-publishing? Our editorial services have been added in response to demand, so whatever you want we've probably got it covered with our 20 different services.
- 'Our lives are spent plopped on the gluteal upholstery for eight hours a day with only imaginary friends for company, spinning lies, marinating in envy, and wondering when the Pulitzer committee is going to twig to our brilliance.' Sarah Bird in our Writers' Quotes.