Category Archives: Agents: can’t live with ‘em, can’t kill ‘em

A necessary evil?

Positive thoughts on rejection

Posted on 28 February, 2010 by Oscar Windsor-Smith

I’ve posted a few thoughts on the good side of rejection here. scar

Posted in Agents: can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em, The hard slog, Writers in action | Leave a comment

The Good, the Bad and the Unsolicited.

Posted on 17 February, 2010 by Kevin Bennett

How do we, the unpublished writers, get the attention of publishers? Most of them suggest we get agents, and most agents suggest we get lost! I thought I would try to get an inroad into one publishing house by being … Continue reading →

Posted in Agents: can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em, Publishers, Writers in action | 1 Comment

Time and money wasted …

Posted on 3 October, 2009 by Kevin Bennett

Getting published, we are told, is almost impossible without a literary agent. So poor me: I sent out a whole load of samples to agents and have had mixed responses – some saying nice things, others giving bland, stock rejections. … Continue reading →

Posted in Agents: can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em, Pet Peeve, The hard slog | 2 Comments

Five things you should never do …

Posted on 26 September, 2009 by Kevin Bennett

… when recovering from a general anaesthetic: 1: Drive a car 2: Operate machinery 3: Use sharp objects without supervision 4: Babysit for a relative or friend. (You could get away with babysitting for a stranger if you could make … Continue reading →

Posted in Agents: can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em, Life, don't talk to me about life, Technique, The hard slog | 3 Comments

You never told me you were a writer…(extended version)

Posted on 19 September, 2009 by Sam Ellis

Writing from a work experience perspective… Continue reading →

Posted in Agents: can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em, Publishers, The Industry | 2 Comments

Coping with rejection – Dylan Moran style

Posted on 25 September, 2008 by Jon Pinnock

If only to push Ann Summers off the top of the blog, here’s something that was posted on another writers’ site: (Never seen it before, although apparently it’s an extra on the DVD box set of Black Books, so presumably … Continue reading →

Posted in Agents: can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em, Passing fancies, Publishers, The Industry | 12 Comments

Masters of the psychic art

Posted on 10 June, 2008 by Ian Cundell

I have come to the conclusion, after careful study of the various corners of the internet in which writers can be found, huddled like refugees, that agents and publishers are exactly like psychics. I don’t mean in a nice wholesome … Continue reading →

Posted in Agents: can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em, Publishers | 8 Comments

Confused…

Posted on 17 April, 2008 by CherylA

Contemporary ‘rules’ for ‘good’ (publishable) writing include – ‘show, not tell’, short sentences, avoiding material not relevant to the plot or other digressions, and so on. Whether it’s assessing VWC member’s stories, or reading articles/books on what agents, publishers, readers … Continue reading →

Posted in Agents: can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em, On writing, Publishers, Technique, The Industry | 24 Comments

Imran Ahmad: Adapted from the VWC minutes 30th Jan 2008

Posted on 15 February, 2008 by Jes Guy

Editor’s note: Imran Ahmad visited Verulam Writers’ Circle and everyone thorough enjoyed the evening. So we badgered Jes into putting his minutes of the evening up. Lesley brightly welcomed VWC members then introduced Imran Ahmad for his talk about a … Continue reading →

Posted in Agents: can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em, Reviews | 3 Comments

Reject the Rejection

Posted on 5 September, 2007 by Kevin Bennett

How many times have I sent off my work to agents, only to receive it back, unread? How many ‘delivery receipt cards’ did I not get back? How many submissions were not returned to me, despite the expensive return postage … Continue reading →

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