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149 of 149 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?
In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.
What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.
This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Writer's Handbook v. Writers' & Artists' Yearbook: Best to get both, 11 Feb 2009
I have used both The Writer's Handbook AND Writers' and Artists' Yearbook for 15 years and have used them to sell 7 books including British editions of US titles I've written. Which one is better? It depends on the year. In fact, in the 1990s, The Writer's Handbook was the first to make detailed listings of book editors, the key to getting your query letter or proposal read. The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook, however, fought back and greatly improved the detail of its listings, surpassing The Writer's Handbook for a year or two. Now it's a see-saw battle to provide ever more information and keep up to date: The writer is the beneficiary of this competition. For my money, buying both books is worthwhile, just to compare the listings and to get the fullest picture. You only have one chance per idea with a publishing house. Once an editor turns down your idea, you can't resubmit, so you want to make your best shot the first time.
-- Erich Hoyt (author, The Earth Dwellers, Creatures of the Deep, Insect Lives, Orca: The Whale Called Killer, and other books)
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Would recommend, 5 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).
Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.
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