Category Archives: The Industry

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How do we, the unpublished writers, get the attention of publishers?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

Is this the end for the printed word?

Posted on 12 September, 2009 by Sandra Norval

Today I heard that Philadelphia is closing all its libraries. We also hear regularly of book shops closing with huge amounts of sales these days going to the likes of Amazon, Waterstone’s and even the major supermarkets. Meanwhile gadgets for … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, don't talk to me about life, Pet Peeve, The Industry | 2 Comments

Taken Short

Posted on 10 August, 2009 by Jon Pinnock

I recently invested in a long-overdue new computer and I’m finding that this has had some unexpected effects on my on-line life. One of these is that I’ve found that Safari (yup, it’s a Mac) has a way of managing … Continue reading →

Posted in Analysis, Critique, Publishers, The Industry | 5 Comments

Welcome 1500, redux.

Posted on 21 March, 2009 by Ian Cundell

Rather superb (and lengthy) essay on the state of newspapers by Clay Shirky. Some attention span required. To me it leaves two thoughts: 1. How long before these changes finally catch up with book publishing? 2. How damned cool is … Continue reading →

Posted in Publishers, State of the media | 1 Comment

One for the good guys

Posted on 1 December, 2008 by Ian Cundell

A basic human right is surely that to tell one’s story. Let’s hope other corners of the publishing industry are paying attention to this,

Posted in Analysis, Contracts, Publishers | 4 Comments

Thoughts on Newcon 4

Posted on 15 October, 2008 by Toby Frost

Last weekend – the 11th and 12th of September, I attended my first science-fiction convention: Newcon 4 in Northampton’s Fishmarket gallery. Guest of honour was Iain M. Banks, and other headliners were writers Ken MacLeod, Storm Constantine and Paul Cornell, … Continue reading →

Posted in Competitions and festivals, On writing, Reviews, The Industry | 3 Comments