News for emerging authors: October

OK, who has a Bookseller account so that I can get behind the paywall? And now that I’m in, how is this relevant to me again?

Dear authors, welcome to my October roundup of Bookseller headlines, articles and opportunities. There is A LOT going on in the world at the moment, and it can be easy to feel like your one little pen might not ever cut through the noise. But I think it can; you just need to make sure you’re writing towards those things you feel most passionate about. And if you’re wondering whether people will care, I’ve handpicked some headlines to inspire you with the ways a passion project can elicit real change. Shall we?

Publishing becoming a "big authors business", David Shelley tells FBF

Don’t be fooled by the headline; this article is actually about authors having staying power. Hachette c.e.o. David Shelley talks about how book buying trends are leaning more towards the support of an author’s whole catalogue, not just their latest work. Speaking at Frankfurt Book Fair, Shelley said “it’s increasingly about authors, so not just one book”, and that “readers increasingly want to read everything that that author has written”.

As a (now) two-time author, this is music to my ears as it means the readers I garnered with my first novel will likely be interested enough to give my second novel a try; and so on and so forth. And if you’re just starting out with your first book, you should take encouragement from this too. Your ability to grow and develop as an author with each new book, brings with it the potential to also grow your audience. As I will continue to say, this author life is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s important to know what kind of race you’re running in, and who you’re up against. Or more importantly, who are you running it for? 

This author life is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s important to know what kind of race you’re running in, and who you’re up against

Arundhati Roy shares PEN Pinter Prize 2024 with Alaa Abd El-Fattah

British-Egyptian writer and activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah has been named "Writer of Courage" by Arundhati Roy, PEN Pinter Prize 2024 winner. The "Writer of Courage" is awarded to an author who is "active in defence of freedom of expression", often at risk to their own safety, and shares the PEN Pinter Prize with the winner.

There have been a number of news stories throughout October to give us all pause, question our humanity and the things we care most about. Specifically, what are we risking as authors when we put pen to paper? It does not have to be our livelihoods but sometimes it can feel that way. And if so, who in our writing community are we leaning on for encouragement, and what are we reading to keep our creativity inspired, especially when persevering gets exhausting? Prizes like the PEN Pinter were established to highlight and support writers putting themselves out there, determined to write beyond their own lives and to help others.

Perhaps you feel so inclined to follow that route with your own writing but you’re unsure where to start? I say begin small, read the work of those authors who have been doing it for years, and then pen the thing you care most about. People will want to read it. 

RSL launches free writing residencies in Bernardine Evaristo’s Ramsgate cottage

The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is launching the Scriptorium Awards, offering free writing residencies in President Bernardine Evaristo’s Ramsgate cottage. The retreats can be for up to a month at a time and the aim is to offer uninterrupted time for "professionally active" writers to focus on their projects. 

The most valuable thing a writer can gain is time. And unfortunately when it comes to our livelihoods, garnering that time often means spending money. So thank goodness for free writing residencies like this one being offered by Booker Prize winning author Bernadine Evaristo. 

In fact, there are a number of free or low cost writing residencies popping up throughout the country if you take the time to Google them. Just make sure that you’re planning a few months in advance, you’re able in some capacity to travel, and if not, you can also narrow down your search to online residencies that are time limited and project based. 

As an author today, we need to continuously be on the lookout for new opportunities, but keeping that energy all year long can be daunting. Sometimes it’s worth just going back to basics, penning the thing that matters to you the most, and then searching for a place to grow and develop it after that.

Your next passion project might take you somewhere really good; you never know.