This post is brought to you by author and longtime Hampshire Writers’ Society member, B Random.
Writing is escape, like meditation. It’s empowering. Enjoy it!
Most important – join a writing group and get yourself a supporting circle of friends. Reading your early work out to a small group is harrowing at first but when you all do it, it brings you closer.
Wattpad is a great online writer resource anyone can use. It’s a great community to get feedback on your writing. Be aware that once you put it up there, it’s in the public eye and fair game for anyone else to use. So don’t post anything you want to keep to yourself.
Artful Scribe – Arts Council funded Hampshire & Dorset Writers Development Agency, career devt, networking, business collabs and events, and free workshops – So: Write and Do: Write.
Joanna Penn – creative encouragement!
Writers Online – lots of writing help and articles
Writers Helping Writers – help and tips for writers
Authors Publish Magazine – articles, publishers and competitions
If you do decide to try an agent or publisher, be guided by the Writers & Artist Yearbook and get on their mailing list. Check out each agent/publisher and address your letter directly to them, making sure you get all the details right. Research goes a long way and a slip with a name can prove disastrous before they’ve even looked at your work.
Write Mentor – paid courses for children’s writers – lots of support once you’re in and podcasts on the website
Cornerstones Literary Consultancy – Editors and other paid services with scouting to publish. Well thought of but expensive.
Alternatively attend Writing Conferences and meet an agent in person. The I AM Writing Festival is right here in Winchester.
Many large towns and cities hold a literary festival, so look them up. There are many around the country where you can hear authors speak for a small fee rather than a huge day/weekend charge. Many of them are still online and a lot can be found on YouTube.
Portsmouth Bookfest was bigger than ever last year, the Isle of Wight Literary Festival is just a ferry ride away, Worthing and Hastings are worth looking at too. Exeter and Bath are within striking distance but so many are online now with You tube snatches available for free.
If you write sci-fi or fantasy check out comic-cons and Dr Who events. Southampton Comic con is due in July at the Ageas Bowl.
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