Advice for writers

Editorial services		Advice for writers		The website for writers WritersServices has over 1800 pages	To help you find Search Contents FAQs
Editorial Services					Print and supply
New writers	Fed-up with rejection	Published authors	Office services	Cost & ordering	Some writers' stories

Editorial Services

Advice for writers

Exchange calculator

Manual process

If you are trying to get your work into shape for publication, there's plenty of advice on the WritersServices website which you may find useful.

Getting started:

	Which service? - a short introduction
	Choosing a service - a more detailed article
	Our fictionalised stories show you how the services work.
	Making submissions - how to give your work its best chance by making sure that the submissions you are making are as effective as possible.
	Your submission package - how to put it together and what you should send.
	Avoid rejection some tips on how to avoid rejection by doing your research before you make submissions.
	The Slush-pile - advice from an editor on how to get through it.
	Top Ten Tips for nonfiction writers to help you improve your writing.
	Writing for the web Our latest new checklist shows you how to write web pages to attract and keep visitors.
	Finding an agent can be tricky, but here's how to go about it so as to give yourself the best chance.
	Working with an agent shows you how to get the most out of this key relationship.
	Preparing a manuscript how to prepare your work to give it as professional a presentation as possible.
	Getting your manuscript copy edited explains our new
	approach to copy editing.
	American copy editing and how it differs from UK copy editing.
	Indexing is our professional service for non-fiction authors working through a publisher or self-publishing.
	The Ins and Outs of Indexing - what indexers do and why a computer can't do it as well.
	Sell, don't tell - a two-part article on how to pitch your script.
	Getting your poetry published shows you how to start by approaching poetry magazines before moving on to book publishers.
	Preparing for criticism some tips on how to accept criticism and make the most of it, rather than letting yourself get demoralised.
	Preparing for Publication a run-through of what will happen after you find a publisher, with specific information on the stages your manuscript goes through on its way to publication.
	Proofreader's marks gives you a quick reference to electronic and manual signs which are commonly used by editors and proofreaders.
	Tips for writers is a new series which will help you develop your writing and get published or publish it yourself.
	An Editor's advice is a new series of 7 articles from WritersServices editor Maureen Kincaid Speller.
	How to market your writing services online Joanne Phillips advises on having your own website, ezines and freelance writing sites.
	The business of writing, Joanne's second article, helps you deal with tax, national insurance and other business matters connected with being a writer.
	Our new list of free online Keyboard skills courses shows you how you can learn to touch-type.
	Entering competitions Our checklist helps you to review how you approach competitions, to see if you can achieve a better result.
	Masterclasses from the London Book Fair March 2006 provide input from top authors.

These pages from WritersPrintShop, our self-publishing service, provide useful background to help understand the publishing process:

	Preparing an index
	Making an index using Word®.
	Legal checks
	Clearing Copyright
	Your copyright
	Permissions & model release
	ISBN registration
	Printing & publishing glossary
	The preliminary pages
	UK Legal deposit
	Public Lending Right (UK)

Background on the marketplace:

	Outlets for writers
	Manuscript to reader
	Writer to reader

The Inside Publishing series takes you behind the scenes to understand what's really going on:

	Advances and Royalties
	The Relationship between Publishers & Agents
	Subsidiary rights
	The English-language publishing world
	The Marketing Department
	The Frankfurt Book Fair
	The Sales Department
	The Production Department
	Pricing - how it works
	Distribution
	Book clubs and direct mail
	Direct selling
	Children's publishing
	Print on demand
	Copyright
	Copy editing and proof-reading
	Vanity publishing
	Creative Commons
	The Writer/Publisher Financial Relationship

Michael Legat's 19 essential Factsheets cover everything from children's books to plagiarism, from revision to research.

	Factsheets
	International Book Fairs - check out our list to see if there's one near you

Our extensive reviews of books for writers. the latest new one is for A Creative Writing Handbook.

And don't forget:

	The Health Hazards series for an update on writers' health concerns
	WritersBookStall for books of advice on many different kinds of writing. Now with over 200 titles and linked directly to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.
	Newly-updated US and UK agents' listings for research to find the right agent.