Writing is a lonely business and getting your book published can be as daunting a challenge as writing it. The publishing industry can feel complex and imprenetrable from the outside but understanding it will help you hugely in navigating it and reducing your chances of getting rejected – no matter how much knowledge you have that will still happen, it happens to everyone (almost!) at every stage of their career, but at least with a bit of insider knowledge you’ll perhaps have more idea of why it’s happening.
We have lots of articles on writing.ie giving you tips direction on the industry and how it works and has worked for different authors – as with everything in life there are many ways in. One way to pick up vital advice is to attend author and publishing industry events – from the International Literature Festival’s Date with an Agent/ Insider’s Guide to Getting Published conference (information on the next one coming very soon, watch this space), to Cork’s World Book Festival, there are opportunities for you to listen to publishing professionals, editors and agents and to ask questions.
The Murder One International Crime Writing Festival have launched a new podcast in association with the Headstuff.org podcast network – now you can listen back to a whole range of events that were packed full of tips for all writers, not just crime writers.
At The Killer Pitch event, Literary Agent Simon Trewin agent chatted to bestselling author Sam Blake about how to approach literary agents, how to catch an agent’s eye, famous hits and misses, and his top tips. Packed full of his wisdom and 25 years experience, listen back here…
Simon Trewin has been a literary agent for 25 years and has worked with authors who have been shortlisted for, or won, most of the major literary and commercial awards in the UK. He is a former Secretary of The Association Of Authors Agents and a two-time nominee for Literary Agent Of The Year. Alongside his UK clients he has a special passion for Irish writers and numbers many among his client list including Sam Blake, John Boyne, Mary Costello, Sarah Maria Griffin, Claire Kilroy, Paul Lynch and Martin Roper. His new website is launching in early 2020 www.simontrewin.co.uk, and you can find him on on Titter and Instagram @simontrewin
He is also the founder of the letterpress and design studio The Garage Press @thegaragepress.
