Writers & Artists newsletters

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This month’s W&A on Publishing newsletter features news of our next Careers in Publishing event (in partnership with The Bloomsbury Institute) and an online masterclass on building your writer profile with bestselling author S J Watson. Plus, there are links out to free advice articles on the importance of book reviews, and how one author made his local non-fiction book stand out in a crowded market.

JUST ANNOUNCED: Careers in Publishing (Brighton)

Wednesday 27th March 2024 | 6.30pm-8.00pm | Brighthelm Centre, Brighton | £9 Have you ever considered a career in publishing? Do you want to find out more about what working in the industry could look like?   We’re continuing to partner with The Bloomsbury Institute to offer a number of affordable careers in publishing events across the UK, and we’re delighted to confirm that our next stop will be Brighton!   Join us at the end of March to hear from publishing professionals working across the industry. Our panelists will offer insight into the many roles available within publishing, discuss what they love about the industry, and look back at their respective career journeys so far. Attendees can expect: candid advice; the chance to put questions to the panel; a free Bloomsbury title; and takeaway materials which, we hope, will serve as an inspirational and practical resource when it comes to considering a career in one of the most varied and creative industries within the Arts, whatever your skill-set. And all for just £9! If you’re in the area then we hope to see you there!

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Why Do I Need a Book Review? ‘The hard truth is that there are a lot of people who have written books and are fighting for the attention of the same industry professionals and readers that you are.’   Writer Chelsea Ennen shares the benefit of book reviews and talks about how to commission a review on the Kirkus Indie programme. Read now Five Ways to Make Your Local Non-Fiction Book Stand Out In a Crowded Market ‘I ended up cross promoting with other Surrey businesses, councils, societies and trade bodies to help spread the word.’   Matthew Ogborn discusses how he managed to sell 1000 copies of his non-fiction book in a year with the help of his independent, small publisher. Read now

Upcoming Events

LAST CHANCE: Writing Memoir Wednesday 21st February | 12.30pm-1.30pm UK time | Online | £20   Memoirs can pull from the span of a lifetime, so how do we decide what to share with an audience of readers?   Through writing examples, group discussion and individual writing exercises, memoirist and fiction writer Kirsty Logan will help you explore the different ways to structure a memoir. You’ll figure out what you really want to say, what to include and what to leave out, what the reader does and doesn't need to be told, where to start your story, and where to end it. Book here Building Your Profile as a Writer Wednesday 24th April | 7.00pm-8:30pm UK time | Online | £30   Do you want to build your profile as a writer?   Bestselling author S J Watson will help you navigate the world of self-promotion and build your profile as a writer, exploring everything from social media to subscription newsletters, and show you how to use the tools available to you to find your readership and get your name out there. Book here

Copyright (c) 2024, Writers & Artists Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP

Love is in the air, so why not indulge your creative side this Valentine’s Day?   Simply enter the code* below at checkout before the end of February to redeem a 10% discount on anything across the W&A site. That includes all upcoming events & writing courses, our range of editing services, and one-year access to our Listings subscriptions.   And if you want to benefit from the code* below but would find it useful to spread the costs, just email us to arrange a payment instalment plan at writersandartists@bloomsbury.com.   LOVE10   *single-use only, discount expires at midnight 29th February 2024 Events & Courses Upcoming events and courses include Write Better Fiction, our Children’s Writers & Illustrators Festival 2024, Writing Romantasy and How to Write Horror Fiction. For our full list of events and writing courses click on the button below. Find out more Editing Services From full manuscript reviews written by expert editors to one-to-one consultations with literary agents, our editing services give you access to publishing industry professionals at precisely the right moment for your manuscript.  Browse Listings Subscribing to one of our Listings products will grant you access to the ultimate publishing database. Browse thousands of contacts, from literary agencies, publishers,  awards, prizes, and much more. Find out more Copyright (c) 2024, Writers & Artists Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP

This week’s W&A in Focus is all about non-fiction. We have four upcoming masterclasses for non-fiction writers, including a practical session on how to write a non-fiction proposal and a charitable evening masterclass that explores writing as activism.     Plus, we have writing advice extracts from Writing the Radical Memoir and Advanced Creative-Non Fiction and share news of the inaugural recipient of the Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship. How To Write a Non-Fiction Proposal Wednesday 14th February | 12.30-1.30pm UK time | Online | £20   Are you writing non-fiction? Do you want to submit your work to literary agents?   In this lunchtime masterclass, literary agent Eli Keren (United Agents) will break down the key essentials of putting together a non-fiction proposal to send out to agents. Eli will discuss the process of getting a publishing deal, and the journey a non-fiction proposal goes on during this process. He'll break down exactly what a non-fiction proposal needs to include, the do's and don'ts, and how to position it for a commercial audience.  Book now Writing Memoir: Where to Start and Where to End Wednesday 21st February | 12.30-1.30pm UK time | Online | £20   Memoirs can pull from the span of a lifetime, so how do we decide what to share with an audience of readers? How do we take this undifferentiated mass of information and detail and character and life, and turn it into a coherent narrative?   Through writing examples, group discussion and individual writing exercises, memoirist and fiction writer Kirsty Logan will help you explore the different ways to structure a memoir. You’ll figure out what you really want to say, what to include and what to leave out, what the reader does and doesn't need to be told, where to start your story, and where to end it. Book now Writing Popular Science Tuesday 5th March| 7-8.30pm UK time | Online | £30   How can you write science in a way that is popular with a commercial audience?   In this evening masterclass, writer and academic Emma Chapman will delve into how to write science in a way that is accessible to, and popular with, a commercial audience. She'll share her top tips for divulging facts that will fascinate, and offer advice on structuring your research into a book that will take its readers on a journey.  Book your place Writing As Activism Wednesday 13th March| 6.30-8.30pm UK time | Online | £5   Writing is protest.   In this online masterclass, award-winning writer Aude Konan will be offering you the tools to make change through writing. She’ll delve into the different media available to you, and how to use each of them successfully. Plus, she’ll share how to ensure your words are being heard by the people you are trying to reach.   You will come away with the skills to make your writing more impactful by targeting a specific audience, as well as a greater understanding of how you can shine a light on issues that matter to you and to the communities you are part of, and/or working to support. Book now Non-Fiction Writing Advice Forms of Memoir Authors Shelley Davidow and Paul Williams break down the various forms of memoir.  Read now Topics in Creative Non-Fiction In this exclusive extract from Advanced Creative Nonfiction: A Writer's Guide and Anthology, authors Sean Prentiss and Jessica Hendry Nelson list some creative nonfiction topics Read Reader/Writer Contract What is the reader/writer contract and why is it especially important when writing memoir? Read here The Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship - Winner Announced! Tionne Alliyah Parris, based at the University of Hertfordshire, is the first recipient of the Writing Fellowship with the submission titled, ‘20th Century Black Radical Women engaged in the struggle for Black liberation in the United States and abroad.’     Tionne will receive mentorship with dedicated Bloomsbury and Writers & Artists editors, £1,000 of financial support, access to Bloomsbury events and access to W&A/Bloomsbury books and resources. Also included is support and practical advice to develop the submission through to final manuscript stage, ready to approach and submit to a range of publishers in the academic space, including Bloomsbury. Find out more Copyright (c) 2023, Writers & Artists Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP

February is finally here (hooray!) and in this month’s W&A Events Bulletin we’re looking forward to the range of events and courses we have coming up between now and Spring. Whether you’re getting ready to submit to literary agents, honing dialogue, immersed in the editing process or just started work on those exciting first few pages of a story, it’s always worth taking a look to see what we’ve got in store. How To Hook an Agent Saturday 17th February,  9:15am-1:30pm (UK time) | Bloomsbury Publishing, London | £175   Are you writing a book for publication but unsure of how to find an agent? Get the inside track on the submission process from leading UK literary agents at this intimate half-day event in the heart of literary London.   Literary agents Laura Macdougall, Juliet Pickering, Kerry-Ann Bentley and Monica MacSwan will be sharing their expertise on the publishing process, and offering guidance around how to pitch your book, how to choose the right agent and how to get an agent’s attention with your submission package.   Just a handful of places remain available for this event, so please move quickly to reserve your place. And for those of you wishing to discuss a payment instalment plan, please email events@writersadartists.co.uk and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Book now How to Edit Your Manuscript Wednesday 21st February - Wednesday 27th March, 7:00pm-8:30pm (UK) | Online | £350   All writing is rewriting. This short course will develop your ability to reflect critically on your own creative work, to take what you’ve put together and refine it into a story that can reach out and grab readers. Have you given them memorable characters? Has that moment in your story broken hearts as intended? Have the twists and turns of your plot kept people on the edge of their seats? Have you managed to make your readers feel what you want them to feel?   Over six weeks, students on this course will work with editor and mentor Alex Hammond to develop self-editing skills across all of the following key areas: pace, structure, tension and dialogue. And in looking at each of these key elements, students will apply the guidance they have received to both their full synopsis and a redrafted opening section of their current work-in-progress. A guest literary agent will also speak to the group about the process of submitting their manuscript. Book now Children’s Writers & Illustrators Festival Saturday 23rd - Sunday 24th March, 10:00am-5:00pm (UK time) | Online| £45-£80   Are you writing and/or illustrating for children? We're proud to present this full-weekend line-up of authors, illustrators, agents and industry professionals, who will talk tips, offer advice, share experiences and pass on knowledge. Through a combination of live masterclasses and panel discussions plus exclusive pre-recorded videos, festivalgoers will get the opportunity to develop their craft with leading authors and illustrators, have the chance to receive live feedback from literary agents on their manuscript pitch, and hear from industry professionals about the current children's publishing marketplace.   A range of ticket prices are available, and our speakers on this year’s festival bill include Alex Wharton, Andrew Wright, Holly Bourne, Sandra Agard, Hannah Gold, Rikin Parekh and Julia Churchill. Book now Spring Masterclasses Writing as Activism Wednesday 13th March, 6:30pm-8:30pm (UK time) | Online | £5   Writing is protest. In this masterclass, award-winning writer Aude Konan will be offering you the tools to make change through writing. She’ll delve into different media, and discuss how to make your writing more impactful by targeting a specific audience, to help you shine a light on issues that matter to you and to the communities you are part of. Book now Building Your Profile as a Writer Wednesday 24th April, 7.00pm-8:30pm (UK time) | Online | £30   Do you want to build your profile as a writer? Best-selling author S J Watson is here to help you navigate the world of self-promotion and build your profile as a writer. He'll delve into everything from social media to subscription newsletters, to show you how you can use the tools available to you to find your readership and get your name out there. Book now Dialogue Screenwriting Secrets Wednesday 1st May, 7.00pm-8:30pm (UK time) | Online | £30   What can all writers learn about writing dialogue from screenplays? Whether you’re writing for the page, stage, or screen this masterclass, led by screenwriter and novelist Angela Clarke (BBC, Netflix, Hachette, Harper Collins), focuses on tools to write convincing speech, manage subtext, avoid exposition dumps, and turn dowdy dialogue into the star of the show. Book now Upcoming Courses Writing Horror Fiction Monday 22nd April - Monday 20th May, 7.00pm-8:30pm (UK time) | Online | £350   Back by popular demand, author Kirsty Logan returns to deliver this five-week online course dedicated to the craft of writing horror fiction. The course is designed to take you through the steps essential to writing in this genre. Attendees will explore how to develop the seed of an unsettling idea, discover - through plotting and writing techniques - how much one can leave to the reader's imagination, and analyse what makes a good horror story for the 21st century. Book now Writing Your Children’s Book Wednesday 8th May - Wednesday 12th June, 6:30pm-8.00pm | Online | £350   Are you crafting a story for young people? The stories we read when we are young shape us. This May, join Lesley Parr, award-winning writer of children's fiction who will be delving into the writing process, helping you create memorable characters, build a world, and structure your story. Students can also expect her to share insight into the children's book market and how to improve your chances of getting your work published. Book now Last Chance: Writing Police Procedurals Saturday 3rd February, 9.00am-3:30pm | Bloomsbury Publishing Offices, London | £125   Are you writing a police procedural? Led by author Caroline Green, this event has been designed to delve into everything you need to know about writing, and publishing, police procedurals.   The day of masterclasses and panel discussions will cover research, authenticity, suspense and the submission process. Authors Kate London and Tony Kent will share their experiences as writers and as people who have worked within the criminal justice to help you write credible detectives and criminals. And you'll have the chance to hear from an agent and an editor who will share what makes a piece of work standout to them. Book now Accessible to All Writers & Artists make bursary places available for our courses and events as part of our accessibility scheme. Please visit our bursaries page to find out how to apply.  Payment instalment plans are available for all W&A events and writing courses. Contact us at events@writersandartists.com so that we can find a payment schedule that works for you.  Find out more Copyright (c) 2023, Writers & Artists Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP

From monsters to magic, the supernatural to sci-fi, fantasy fiction transports readers to other realms, other times, other realities. With our Writing Historical Fantasy masterclass taking place at the end of this month, we’ve dedicated our ‘In Focus’ newsletter to the fantastical.   Plus, make sure to scroll down and take advantage of our 10% January discount, which runs across all W&A events, courses and editing services, while there’s also an exclusive code that can be used again selected fantasy titles and craft guides.

How To Write Alternate Worlds

“To create a believable alternate world, it’s wise to harness it to recognisable reality except for one or two magical elements.”   Author Gita Ralleigh talks about the alternate world she created for her debut novel, The Destiny of Minou Moonshine, and the power of fantasy as an exploratory tool. She shares her top tips for world-building, transgressing boundaries and drawing on histories and myths. Read more

Fantasy Fiction: A Writer’s Guide and Anthology

“Gaslamp fantasy is increasingly used to critique colonialism. Genre mashups are common.”   In this extract from Fantasy Fiction: A Writer’s Guide and Anthology, the first fantasy-writing textbook to combine a historical genre overview with an anthology and comprehensive craft guide, Jennifer Pullen discusses the many, varied sub-genres of fantasy fiction. Part One Part Two

Writing Historical Fantasy

Wednesday 24th January 2024, 7:00pm to 8:00pm (UK time) | Online | £20   In our January masterclass, novelist and short-story writer Brittany N. Williams will discuss her process for writing the Forge & Fracture Saga, and how this can be applied to your own historical fantasy writing. She’ll share her advice on navigating the research process, and delve into creating a sensory experience for your readers. She'll offer ways in to weaving in the magical, and cover when to respect or disregard history as we know it.   Through writing exercises, guidance and top tips, Brittany will encourage you to explore the strange and the fantastical, and help you write magic into history.

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10% Off Everything!

Throughout January we are offering 10% off all of our events, courses and editing services with the discount code writeNOW to help you make 2024 your writing year! Below are just a few of our upcoming events and services that you can use the site-wide discount code on now.   Browse all W&A events and courses | Browse all editing services

Writing Police Procedurals Saturday 3rd February, 9am-3:30pm (UK time) | London | £125   Are you writing a police procedural? Led by author Caroline Green, this event has been designed to delve into everything you need to know about writing, and publishing, police procedurals from story to character, credible detectives to the submissions package. Book now How to Hook an Agent Saturday 17th February,  9:15am-1:30pm (UK time) | London| £175   Are you writing a book for publication but unsure of how to find an agent? Join us at the Bloomsbury Publishing offices to hear from top literary agents. They’ll share their insight into crafting a great submissions package, the publishing process and pitching your work. Book now Full Manuscript Review The Full Manuscript Review editing service provides a report on your manuscript from an editor who will objectively assess your use of integral narrative devices, such as dialogue, style, structure, pace, plot and characterisation. And you will have the opportunity to speak to your editor in a 30-minute phone call to  discuss next steps  for your manuscript. Find out more

Book Discounts

We’re offering 25% off selected fantasy and non-fiction titles throughout January. Learn something, escape into a narrative or get inspired.

Fantasy Fiction Save 10% across a range of some of the best recent fantasy reads.   From fantastical Greek retellings and modern fairytales, to stories that span time and universes, there’s something for every reader who dreams of other worlds. Take a look here. Non-Fiction To kick off the new year Bloomsbury.com is hosting a 25% off sale on selected non-fiction titles, running until the 31st January. Whether you want to read about swimming or progress your career, work on your self-development or find out about the publication process with the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook, shop the sale here.

Last Chance: Writer’s Development Day

Saturday 20th January, 10am-4pm (UK time) | Brighton | £15-25   This January, join us for our writer's development day in Brighton, designed to help you hone your craft, get inspired and build your community. We'll hear from writers Irenosen Okojie, Colin Grant and Maria Jastrzębska, as well as a panel of agents and editors who will be discussing fundamentals of the submission process, and different routes to publication.

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Copyright (c) 2023, Writers & Artists Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP

Welcome to 2024, writers! We hope you had a lovely festive break and are feeling reenergised for the creative year ahead. In our first newsletter of the new year, we’re highlighting our upcoming January events, we’ve added more agents to offer feedback on your work through our Beat the Rejection service, and there’s an opportunity to win a copy of Julia Cameron’s newest book Living The Artist’s Way.   To help you reach your writing goals this year, we have a 10% discount across all of our events and services throughout January. If you want to benefit from the code* below but would find it useful to spread the costs, just email us to arrange a payment instalment plan at writersandartists@bloomsbury.com.   writeNOW   *the discount expires at midnight on 31st January 2024

Featured Course: Find Your Voice

Tuesday 23rd January - Tuesday 27th February, 7pm-9pm (UK time) | Online | £225   It’s time to find your voice as a writer, in this six-week course led by writer Natalie Young. You’ll study the work of masterful contemporary authors, write as much as you can, and give and receive regular feedback. In a collaborative space you’ll be given the opportunity to interrogate your work and creative process, to allow yourself to speak with confidence, and as yourself, on the page.

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Featured Events

Writer’s Development Day Saturday 20th January, 10am-4pm (UK time) | Brighton | £15-25   Are you an underrepresented writer looking to develop your craft? We're delighted to be partnering with Creative Future to offer this writer's development day, designed to help you hone your craft, get inspired and build your community. We'll hear from writers Irenosen Okojie, Colin Grant and Maria Jastrzębska, who will be sharing invaluable insight into writing fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry. Plus we’ll be interviewing a panel of agents and editors who will be discussing the fundamentals of the submission process, and publication. Book now Writing Police Procedurals Saturday 3rd February, 9am-3:30pm (UK time) | Bloomsbury Publishing Offices, London | £125   Led by author Caroline Green, and featuring Kate London and Tony Kent, this event has been designed to delve into everything you need to know about writing, and publishing, police procedurals. Join us at Bloomsbury Publishing's London offices for a day of masterclasses and panel discussions that will cover research, authenticity, suspense and the submission process. The day will end with the chance to hear from an agent and an editor who will share what makes a piece of work standout to them. Book now

Featured Service: Beat the Rejection

Our Beat the Rejection Consultation offers the unique opportunity of a 30-minute consultation with a literary agent to discuss the opening of your manuscript and accompanying submission documents: the covering letter and synopsis.   Whether you're just beginning your search for a prospective agent and would like some advice before sending your manuscript out on submission, or you've received a round of rejection letters and would like an assessment of what to do next, this service provides an invaluable opportunity to receive dedicated feedback.   And we have a whole host of new agents added to the site, who are ready to review your work!

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Writing For Guidance

“When we write for guidance, we write out a question, and then write down what we “hear.” Following our guidance, we find ourselves led, gently and well.”   In this extract from Living the Artist's Way, bestselling author Julia Cameron introduces us to the creative act of writing for guidance. Read more

We’ve also teamed up with Profile Books to offer a copy of Living The Artist’s Way and notebook to two creatives across our X and Instagram accounts. Head over to our socials now for your chance to win!

Copyright (c) 2023, Writers & Artists Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP

It’s our last newsletter of the year so we thought we’d take the opportunity to  look back at our 2023 and then tell you about what we have coming up in2024!   We’re also excited to reveal the winner of the W&A Working-Class Writers’ Prize 2023. Plus, a reminder to participate in our Christmas giveaway… and that the following discount codes offering 15% off editing services and 2024 events and courses expire tonight! For a 15% discount on editing services, enter EDIT15 at checkout For a 15% discount on 2024 events or courses, enter EARLYBIRD15 at checkout   And a big thank you to the thousands of writers who bought a copy of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2024 and/or the Children’s Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2024, our most up-to-date helpful guides to the publishing industry. If you haven’t got one yet, it’s not too late to buy yourself an extra Christmas present… Looking Back At 2023 Coming Up in 2024 Events & Writing Courses No matter where you are on your creative journey, we have courses and masterclasses to help you get inspired, develop your craft, and work towards publication in the new year.   Coming up in January, we have an in-person day event dedicated to underrepresented writers, and we will be tackling voice, historical fantasy and vivid writing in our courses and masterclasses to kick off the year.   Check out the full list of W&A events and writing courses that we have lined up for 2024 so far here. Competitions & Giveaways Our annual Short Story Competition is open for entries until 12th Feb 2024 and next summer the W&A Working-Class Writers’ Prize will return better than ever with new prize partners BBC Maestro.   Keep your eyes peeled in early January for our next social media giveaway: winning a copy of Living The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Editing Services We’ve grown the number of editors and agents who work with us across our range of editing services.   New faces for 2024 include editors Camilla Chester and Justin Davies, and literary agents Charlotte Colwill, Milly Reilly, Eli Keren, and Sarah Such.   We have a wealth of experts covering a whole range of genres, so get in touch today to discuss your manuscript and/or book idea! W&A Working-Class Writers’ Prize 2023: Winner Announced Congratulations to Jon Doyle, our 2023 winner with his novel Tenebrae.   As the prize winner, Jon will receive a £200 cash prize, mentoring sessions with judge and author Kasim Ali, access to a number of W&A events, one year's membership to The Society of Authors, a writing guide bundle and a selection of Bloomsbury books. Congrats, Jon!   Our judge Kasim shared his thoughts on the winning story: ‘This is such an electric piece of writing. There is an energy here that is hard to emulate. I love the descriptions, the dialogue, the way it moves. It is a wonderful, brilliant piece of work. Just brilliant. This is someone with a voice, with something to say, with a natural talent.’ Read more 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway   There’s still time to get involved with our Christmas giveaway over on X and Instagram. Head over to our socials where you could win bestselling fiction and non-fiction, gripping children’s books and, of course, W&A writing craft guides.   And if you’d like to win ALL 12 books, enter our site competition by 20th December. Copyright (c) 2023, Writers & Artists Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP