Customer Reviews

Excellent guide - informative and comprehensive - By: J. Aitcheson, 14 Oct 2008
"The Writers' & Artist's Yearbook" (W&AY), published by A&C Black, has a long-standing reputation as a 'must-have' for any writer looking to get into publication. While a number of similar books now exist - including "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan, & "Writer's Market" (WM), published by David & Charles Ltd - W&AY remains the original font of knowledge, & for me, the premier choice.

All of these books contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, producers etc, &in truth there is little to choose between them. Indeed the competition is gradually catching up, & it is notable that TWH has undergone a major facelift for this year. Of course a lot will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the different books, & so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better.

What makes the W&AY stand out is the wealth of advice it contains (nearly 200 pages' worth) from professional writers, publishers, agents & producers. In separate articles, famous authors such as Joanna Trollope, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell & J.K. Rowling address various aspects of the writing process & discuss a wide variety of genres. Many other highly informative pieces cover diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing your book, writing for TV, radio & theatre, the electronic world of websites & e-publishing, & financial aspects such as tax. This makes the W&AY more than simply a listings book - it is,in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing. Much overlooked is of course the fact that this is a yearbook for artists too. Correspondingly there are sections for the budding illustrator & photographerin the W&AY which are not to be foundin the other guides.

There is much that is new for 2009, too. Although a couple of articles have been dropped, 7 new ones have been added, as well as a fresh foreword by Kate Mosse (author of 'Labyrinth' & 'Sepulchre', among other works). These new articles cover a range of topics, including: mind, body & spirit writing; e-books; & books published from blogs. There are also new pieces from Neil Gaiman, celebrated poet Benjamin Zephaniah, & Radio 4's The Archers scriptwriter Mary Cutler. Is it worth upgrading to the 2009 edition, then? For the articles alone - fascinating though they are - probably not. On the other hand, the advantage of having fully up-to-date listings counts for a great deal, especially if you are already looking for an agent or publisher. And at the price it is currently being offered by Amazon, it is surely a worthwhile investment.

Allin all, this is an excellent & comprehensive guide. Definitely recommended for the aspiring writer or artist.