Writer's Market UK 2009: Amazon.co.uk: Joanne Harris, Caroline Taggart: Books

Review

Well presented, thick with pages of information and supplied with on line support it certainly seems to deliver what it promises. Nearly 100 pages of articles. they provide one of the best groundings for new writers that I have ever seen. Whatever field you are interested in writing for, these articles will give you a basic and realistic idea of how to get into it and what your chances really are. Especially useful and so obvious yet seldom seen is a glossary of terminology. The entries are clear and concise with lots of useful information and judging by our entry accurate. It equals or surpasses alll its rivals. --The Supplement (Review of 2008 edition)

Writer's Market is 1,000 pages of information which is a dream for a wide awake freelance....If you cannot earn 10 times that (price of the book) from your first day browsing through its packed pages stick to the day job. --Writer's Forum (Review of 2008 edition)

Review from The Supplement - The Sheer breadth of the listings make it exceptionally useful to anyone who is intent on getting their work published. Just for the listings, I would recommend it. The articles are informative. With a glossary of key phrases this session will prove equally useful for novices and experienced writers alike. With a website supporting it, it has to stand as a topnotch resource for writers interested in cracking the British market. It might not guarantee you writing success but it will give you a bog boost on the difficult path. --The Supplement

Writer's Market is 1,000 pages of information which is a dream for a wide awake freelance....If you cannot earn 10 times that (price of the book) from your first day browsing through its packed pages stick to the day job. --Writer's Forum (Review of 2008 edition)

Review from The Supplement - The Sheer breadth of the listings make it exceptionally useful to anyone who is intent on getting their work published. Just for the listings, I would recommend it. The articles are informative. With a glossary of key phrases this session will prove equally useful for novices and experienced writers alike. With a website supporting it, it has to stand as a topnotch resource for writers interested in cracking the British market. It might not guarantee you writing success but it will give you a bog boost on the difficult path. --The Supplement

The how-to articles are contributed by people who really know what they are talking about. The Market listings in Writer's Market are already famous. The listings of UK publishers, for example, include not only contact names and details but also tips on what each publisher is looking for and helpful submission guidelines. And the listings for magazines include advice on how best to query, tips on what the editor is looking for, and (again) submission guidelines. And the listings include literary agencies, theatre and broadcast markets, awards, and much more. --Writing Magazine

Review from The Supplement - The Sheer breadth of the listings make it exceptionally useful to anyone who is intent on getting their work published. Just for the listings, I would recommend it. The articles are informative. With a glossary of key phrases this session will prove equally useful for novices and experienced writers alike. With a website supporting it, it has to stand as a topnotch resource for writers interested in cracking the British market. It might not guarantee you writing success but it will give you a bog boost on the difficult path. --The Supplement

Product Description

Are YOU searching for the perfect market? Are YOU seeking an agent? Could YOURS be the next bestseller? Do YOU dream of being published? Where and How to Sell What You Write What Writer s Market UK 2009 can offer you: · It s the only guide to writing and publishing you ll ever need · More information on publishing opportunities than any other comparable resource, with over 4,500 directory listings · Easy-to-use format with tabbed pages so you can quickly locate the exact information you need · Fully revised and updated listings of every market for your work · Handy tips on how to approach publishers · All-new feature articles by industry professionals including Philip Gross, Marion McGilvary, Simon Hoggart and more Features a foreword by Joanne Harris, bestselling author of Chocolat "I know from my own experience that writing is a fundamentally solitary occupation, and one of the many ways in which this book can help you is to make you realise that you are not alone."

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Customer Reviews

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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful

An informative and helpful directory... 25 Aug 2008

By S. P. Moses VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Writer's Market UK is an informative and helpful read. The majority of this book is made up of a directory of magazines, publishers, theatres, agencies, resources and competitions. The layout is attractive and the information exhaustive, but there are other more established handbooks offering similar information. Where Writer's Market UK scores is in the hundred plus pages of articles.

Sadly I found the tone of some of these articles rather depressing. Yes, I know the odds are stacked against me making a living from writing - but the purpose of buying a book like this is to learn how to success in this goal. I've not felt this negative tone in similar directories I've read.

There are positive and inspiring articles. The first is by Joanne Harris, in which we learn she doesn't plan her books. There seems to be a continuum of writers, from those that start at page one and go - and those who plan everything in detail. I'm still working out where I am on that line, so it was interesting to get the point of view of an author I admire.

Elizabeth Kay's article about writing for children was my favourite. Gallons Of Lemonade, And Steak And Kidney Pud was refreshingly written and contained many gems. She also shows she knows her market when she talks about children not being idiots, merely having smaller vocabularies and less experience.

Inevitably information in a directory like this goes out of date, but it is a useful first point for further research. Writer's Market UK is a helpful tool if you want to sell what you write.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Fell apart first time I used it! 26 Nov 2008

By Lucy

Having usually bought either W & A or The Writers' Yeabook, I decided to give this a go. The first time I read it a chunk of pages came loose, others followed so I have now had to separate the sections and hole punch and fasten them together. Not a bad idea really, as the book itself is too large to carry around so this way I can just take out the relevant sections. As for the information in the book, I think there is a lot of useful stuff but a lot of other that is irrelevant. The advice is no different than can be obtained from writing magazines or websites. There are a lot of different markets listed that are not in the other references, but there are also some of the better known publications that are not even listed. Think I will stick to my usual ref books in future and give this a miss next time I need to update.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Fantastic resource for writers 16 Nov 2008

By Sarah Reid

In previous years I have purchased both the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook and the Writer's Handbook, but last year decided to give Writer's Market UK a try.

I was so impressed, I bought the 2009 version, rather than going back to either of the other two. I feel there is more inforamation and the accompanying website (which is free to use) is invaluable.

Clearly, directories of this sort have to be compiled many months in advance of the year stated on the front, and so some information will be outdated by the time many people purchase the book. There will always be changes to the staff of magazines and publishing houses, and this will be an issue that affects all three of the main writers' directories, not just Writer's Market UK. Writers should ALWAYS verify contact details themselves, by checking a current issue of a magazine, contacting the publishing house directly, etc. This is also where the Writer's Market website comes in handy, as this is a resource that can be kept up to date on an ongoing basis.

It is a very chunky book - much larger than the other directories, which means it isn't the most portable. It is easy to find your way around the various sections, and it is very well laid out.

This is definitely my directory of choice and I will continue to be a loyal customer in the future.