Advice and opportunities for non-fiction writers and aspiring journalists and authors
This may sound harsh but it needs to be covered. Nobody wants to hire desperate people. You’re a writer. Writers write. Writers want to sell their work. Every editor knows that. It comes with the territory. Wanting to sell is the default setting. Being desperate to sell is not the default setting. If …
It took me a while to succumb to the temptation of Twitter. Once I did, I found it enjoyable and very valuable – as a news feed, as a medium to interact with other writers, and to learn about opportunities I could pass on to my Writers Bureau Students (if not make the most of …
A recent blog post by Simon Whaley put forward an interesting idea from journalist Nick Fletcher. I’ve edited lightly for clarity: “If you want a regular column … offer to supply a column and give the editor the first three or six pieces on a free trial basis … Once the free trial is over, …
I was in a grumpy mood to start with. Just the day before I’d been here to buy myself a comfy pair of slippers – just £7 from Primark, if you care for the detail – only to find that things didn’t feel quite right when I got home and started to wear them. My …
So, the following tweet caught my eye the other week … … and I found it pretty cynical and depressing. I have judged a writing competition, for The New Writer, and I can assure you I did not choose the winners by means of a lottery. I spent a number of evenings reading the shortlisted …
Many new writers tell me they’ve been told they have talent for writing – perhaps by former teachers who read their compositions for years, or friends who have received their letters, or colleagues who’ve found their emails entertaining, even when concerning mundane office and business matters. Some tell me they believe themselves to be talented. …
“I’ve occasionally found myself hesitating to offer work to someone who shared an email address with their partner,” an editor of my acquaintance told me recently. I’ve seen email addresses like that too. I’m sure you have, as well. Martin-and-Moira77@yahoo.co.uk. Baz-and-Bess@yeehah.co.uk. It’s a non-issue for me, as I’m rarely in a position to commission work …
You’ll be taking your holiday soon. You’ll be heading off somewhere nice. Possibly abroad. Two weeks of sights, sea, sun, sangria – and certainly no writing. Those fingers need a rest, right? But does that mean you ought to ‘switch off’ entirely? If you’re planning on writing about your holiday – and you can find …
“You can’t use up creativity,” said Maya Angelou. “The more you use, the more you have.” I imagine Angelou was thinking about fiction when she made this remark, but it applies to non-fiction and magazine writing too. Coming up with ideas is a creative process. You may think of a subject first, then develop an …
The Writer Magazine tweeted a darned good word of wisdom courtesy of writer Sarah Einstein in April, and here it is. Good revision cannot occur until you fall out of love with a piece. Time and distance are essential. The second I read it I knew it was a winner. To fall out of love …
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