By Tom: Writing a book takes time. Unfortunately, time is a resource that is precious and limited, and for those of us without wealth or patronage, it usually has to be found in stolen, fragmentary moments. This can seem to be at odds with the sustained discipline needed for writing a novel or non-fiction book; […]
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Q&A with short story writer Amanda Huggins
By Teika As I was recently emailed a request for advice about the short story submission process and how to decide which path to take to publication, I thought it would be great to hear from some of the most talented short story writers I know. The multiple prize-winning writer Amanda Huggins was kind enough […]
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10 perennial problems in short story submissions
By Teika Having just now been in the thick of reading submissions for The Forgotten and the Fantastical 5, I was once again struck by the fact that year on year the same issues crop up in the short stories I’m sent. So I thought it would be of use to run through the most […]
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Shiny new object syndrome
By Tom: “When it comes to glittering objects, wizards have all the taste and self-control of a deranged magpie” Sourcery, Terry Pratchett Ah, the seduction of shiny new things. There you are, three quarters of the way through your latest work in progress, when a new idea for a project slips into your mind, sneakily. […]
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The problem with poetry
by Teika Poetry sales are booming – yes, no, maybe? Just the other day an article published in the Guardian brought the news that sales of poetry books in the UK were at an all time high, having passed the £12M mark at the end of 2018. So, good news, then? Well, yes and no. […]
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How to avoid the new year’s resolutions blues
By Teika Rather like the energy that accompanies the back-to-school buzz in September, the beginning of a new year has a vibrant, positive feel to it. We’re done with the Christmas feasting, the overindulging and sitting around. And for some of us, we’re done with a year that didn’t amount to much, writing-wise. Yet the […]
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The perfect last minute gift for a writer
By Tom: It’s that time of year again when busy, multitasking people suddenly realize there is a gap in their scrupulously organized ranks of gifts. Inexplicably, someone has been overlooked. Or, it’s that time of year when disorganized and forgetful people suddenly realize they’ve left things to the last minute again, and the shops are […]
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Personality and professionalism
By Teika One of the best things about being behind a book stall at an event or convention is the conversations with fellow stallholders and interested browsers. At the start of December I was at the Nottingham Print & Publishing Fair and I had several fascinating discussions with people I’d never met before about publishing and […]
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What’s in a cover price? And why should authors care? (Part 1)
By Teika: Next March, I’ll be leading a workshop in the Nottingham Waterstones on behalf of Writing School East Midlands on the subject of ‘How to Get Published’. I’ve run a fair few courses on this topic before, and invariably they’re popular because getting traditionally published is still the ultimate goal of many writers. To […]
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Convention comedown and writer’s despair
By Teika: Seeing as my last post was about how to get the most out of conventions I thought I’d write about my time at FantasyCon, the inevitable comedown that occurs straight afterwards and the not unconnected issue of writer’s despair. FantasyCon was great, it really was. Catching up with many of my indie publisher […]
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