How to Be a Writer: The Definitive Guide to Getting Published and Making a Living From Writing - Softcover

O'Reilly, Sally

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0749954051 ISBN 13: 9780749954055

Publisher: Piatkus Books, 2013

Synopsis

How To Be a Writer is a comprehensive guide to the career of writing from experienced writer and creative writing tutor Sally O'Reilly.
The book will cover questions such as: If you want to be a writer, should you invest in a creative writing course? If so, which one? Are writing groups a good thing? What grants, awards and prizes are available to the aspiring writer? How should you plan your career in the long term?
It will also feature an introduction from Fay Weldon - 'Why I wish I'd read this book when I was 25' - and will include comments and case studies from other established authors, agents and industry experts.
How To Be a Writer will include everything that a writer needs to know about running their own career, from choosing an agent to café scribbling, and from filing a tax return to flirting with the literati and will be an essential reference book for any author who takes their work seriously.

About this title

About the Author

Sally O'Reilly is the author of two novels and has freelanced for the Guardian, Sunday Times, Evening Standard and New Scientist, specialising in careers. She is also a creative writing tutor with the Open University and Brunel University.

Review

An invaluable companion for anyone setting out as a writer. We all need all the help we can get and there's a good deal of help right here―A.L. Kennedy, author of DAY

A wise and clever book with advice on everything from the paths to publication to establishing a complementary career. Now more than ever an author's work is never done, but How To Be a Writer will give you the best shot at success and happiness in the process―Celia Brayfield, author of Bestseller: Secrets of Successful Writing

How To Be a Writer is witty, wise and superbly well informed . . . This is the book I wish I'd had when I was starting to publish. No new writer should be without it―Dr Alison Macleod, Professor of Contemporary Fiction, University of Chichester

set to become an essential reference for any authors who take their work seriously―Lancaster Guardian

This sensible manual covers topics such as 'time management' (I wish), choosing a degree course (if you think you need on), dealing with publishers and contracts, "networking", having a day job, writing online, and . . . provides illuminating capsule interviews with authors, publishers and agents'―Steven Poole, Guardian

This is a brilliantly informative book, packed full of facts and no-nonsense advice! Sally has written an indispensable bible for any would-be writer―Dotti Irving, Chief Executive, Colman Getty

Sally O'Reilly draws on her experiences as a novelist and tutor in this informative and fascinating fact-filled book which is not just the definitive reference book for any author but also an invaluable guide to perils and pitfalls of the publishing industry . . . O'Reilly's no-nonsense and user-friendly approach to making a career out of writing is a breath of fresh air for anyone setting out into the weird and wonderful world of publishing, offering invaluable, down-to-earth advice and achievable goals. Full of wise words and hard-learned experience, this is a must read for anyone even considering a serious writing career―Lancashire Evening Post

Edition details

• Publisher: Piatkus Books
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0749954051
• ISBN 13: 9780749954055
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 256