How To Write A Book and Get Published
How to write a book
• How to plot • Watch our plotting video • More on how to plot • Show don't tell • Prose style checklist • How to create characters • Giving your characters an inner life • How to give your novel a sense of place • Points of view • Dialogue • Themes - the soul of a book • First sentences • The one-third plotting problem • Taking your time • Breaking the rules • Dealing with writers' block • The Elevator Pitch • Stop tinkering
Lots people find the idea of writing a full-length novel daunting and many who have written one feel they need a ‘check-list’ of essential elements to guide them through the editing process. Learn how to outline an entire novel from scratch in our Friday Mini led by award-winning writer Allie Spencer. All about literary agents
• How to find an agent • What agents do and who needs an agent • More on finding an agent • Agenthunter (our Searchable List of UK literary agents) • How to write a query letter • Sample query letter • Writing a synopsis • Writing a book proposal • More on book proposals • Manuscript presentation • Literary agent fees • Should you ever pay a reading fee? • Meeting agents • Agents for crime & thrillers • Agents for non-fiction Bear in mind that by far the most important aspect of your approach to agents is the quality of the manuscript you're bringing them. 99% of writers are rejected by agents because they're books aren't yet good enough. So make them good enough. And if you want to pitch your work to agents face-to-face, then come to our Festival. It's a truly amazing event. Genre by genre
We've got a comprehensive index of different genres here, with advice pages aimed at writing books of every different type. Buit if you truly can't wait to hop in, you can sample some of our wares by clicking through on the links below. Young adult fiction • Historical fiction • Crime & thriller • Women's fiction • Fantasy fiction • Poetry • Travel • Inspirational True Life story ("Misery Memoir") • Non-fiction book proposals • Writing your memoir • Short fiction
How to Write a Screenplay
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The Festival of Writing, 2013
For three days in September, we commandeer the York University campus and fill it with aspiring writers, best-selling authors, book doctors, top agents and publishing legends. It’s a very special gathering filled with serious, professional advice on the craft of writing and how to finally get yourself published but it's also bursting with bonhomie. We’ve yet to run one which hasn’t resulted in at least several delegates landing themselves with agents and publishing deals, everyone else has gone away happy and energised. It really works. Agencies represented at this year's Festival will include: Rogers, Coleridge & White, AM Heath, Conville & Walsh, Blake Friedmann, Andrew Lownie, The Marsh Agency, Lorella Belli Agency, DHH Literary Agency, Sheil Land Associates, The Blair Partnership, Lindsay Literary Agency, Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, Greenhouse Literary Agency, Wade & Doherty Literary Agency, Hardman & Swainson, Caroline Sheldon, Watson, Little Ltd, The Agency, Andrew Nurnberg Associates, Darley Anderson Literary Agency, Greene & Heaton Ltd, United Agents and PFD. Publishing and self-publishing
So don't get caught out. Use our handy guides to the world of publishing to navigate your way. Or talk to us about your project. We're here to help. • Quick Guide on How to Get Published • What's the difference between commercial publishing and self-publishing? • Ghostwriting • Self-publishing advice. • Or buy our comprehensive guide to Getting Published Where to get help
So get help! By all means read the articles on this page - they're there to assist. But you need to go further than that. Here are three extra steps you can take to boost your chances. 1) Read some books. We recommend Getting Published and How To Write, both by WW boss Harry Bingham. 2) Make some friends. We've got a community of writers who are supportive, friendly and care about the same things that you do. So join them - it's free. 3) Take a course. You will learn so much more than you think you will. We have courses for complete beginners, those wanting a more in-depth treatment, and for those who have already written their novel and are embarking on self-editing. We've got still other options here. 4) Attend a writing event: See here for all the details on our upcoming Festival of Writing in York |
Getting an agent is easy - it's writing a good book that's hard. All the same, it pays to be professional and disciplined when approaching agents and the more you know about how literary agents work, the better. Click here for a full 
Nothing's more exciting than writing a screenplay - and nothing is harder to sell. But that doesn't mean you should give up before even starting, it simply means you have to aim high and be relentless in the pursuit of excellence.
The world of publishing is changing faster now than it has done in 500 years. Yet it's still easier for new authors to spend money than to make money - and the median sales of a self-published book remain stuck at a few dozen.
