The Writers and Artists Yearbook. Have you ever waded through this thing? This is supposed to be the bible, the network of all networks for new artists and writers. For years budding actors, artists and writers have breathlessly rushed over to the main desk at the library (if they have a desk), their head’s full of stardust (more likely sawdust) about scenario’s that will see their transformation from the ugly, failed duckling writer/actor/dancer/pop star into a beautiful swan of art and literature. (Awful. I’m hungry, and want to press ahead. Forgive the duff imagery.)

Practically/typically they, we and me will jot down some addresses, put some numbers into our mobiles every couple of years and sit back and wait for rejections from agents, theatres and publishing houses. The Writers and Artists Yearbook is also a book about etiquette; how to present your letter, how to format a manuscript, how to approach agents, how to make a phone call. I created a database of publishers, agents, production houses and theatres in the hope that they might match my style of writing and criteria. Did it work for me?

I nearly was successful through this route. A few weeks after I sent an earlier version of my first novella out, Replika, I was contacted by a publisher who called and emailed to say how funny and satirical it was but unfortunately he only publishes erotic fiction and since my book wasn’t actually an erotic work, and because of its style, I should either put it into a blog or publish it myself. After tons of rejections, often many, many months and years of sending them stuff for different things, I found a publisher who would not only publish it digitally, but would be able to make it available almost anywhere, at no cost to me. (More on this later) So write erotic fiction or look into publishing it yourself if you can’t find an agent or publisher. (More on this letter. Even this is an experience in itself)

Obviously it helps if the work is original, fresh, different, well written, aspires to be different and well written and is much cop. (Very good.) Not that these standards stops books selling trillions everyday.

NEXT TIME: Finding an agent/getting published/Still trying…