Writers' & Artists' Yearbook

Writers' & Artists' Yearbook is an annual directory for writers, designers, illustrators and photographers. It is published in the UK each July, alongside the Children's Writers' & Artists' Yearbook. The yearbook contains over 4,500 named industry contacts updated for each edition and includes articles about getting work published. In 2007, an associated website, known as Writers&Artists was launched, which gives aspiring writers access to industry advice and help, and gives pointers on how to get published (www.writersandartists.co.uk).

2003 edition of Writers' & Artists' Yearbook

The current edition is the 2018 edition and includes articles by William Boyd, J.K. Rowling, Diana Athill, Tom Holland, Anita Bean, Neil Gaiman, Katie Fforde amongst others.[1][2]

History

First published in 1906, by Adam & Charles Black, the original Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook was an 80-page booklet, costing one shilling. It gave details of seven literary agents and 89 publishers.[1] It has been published on an annual basis since, expanding over time to include information for illustrators and photographers.[1] A&C Black became part of Bloomsbury Publishing in 2000, and other titles in its reference division include Who's Who, Wisden and Black's Medical Dictionary.[3] Articles offering advice first appeared in the 1914 yearbook.

In 2004, Bloomsbury launched the Children's Writers' and Artists' Yearbook that includes articles and advice specifically focused on the children's book market. It contains articles from many successful children's authors across different genres from picture books to YA novels. The latest 2018 edition includes advice from Quentin Blake, Michael Morpurgo, Anne Fine, Michael Rosen, Sarah Mussi, and Sally Green amongst others.

Website and competitions

In 2007, Writers' & Artists' Yearbook launched an associated website (www.writersandartists.co.uk). Initially this was only accessible to anyone purchasing the print edition.[4] In 2009, the website was relaunched and now includes blogs from guest authors and a social networking feature that enables authors and artists to add a public profile.[5] This free website offers a community platform, an extensive collection of free advice articles on the writing and publishing process, ways to contact publishers and the best advice on how to get your book publisher, along with a shop where you can purchase not only the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook, but additional books that offer helpful advice and expertise for writers of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, stage and screen. From 2013, the website featured a section focusing on self-publishing, also hosting a conference on the subject in November of that year in association with National Novel Writing Month.[6] Courses, lectures and other events as well as editorial services are available to purchase through the website, ranging in price from £95-£1250. Writers' & Artists' Yearbook runs an annual short story competition and also collaborates with Bloomsbury and other organisations to run other competitions for aspiring writers.[7][8][9]

Sections and listings

The yearbook is divided into the following sections:[1]

  • Newspapers and magazines – regional, national and overseas, syndicates and news agencies
  • Books – regional, national and overseas, audio publishers, book packagers and book clubs
  • Poetry
  • Television, film and radio
  • Theatre
  • Literary agents
  • Art and illustration – agents, commercial studios and card and stationery publishers
  • Societies, prizes and festivals – associations and clubs, prizes and awards and literary festivals
  • Self-publishing
  • Resources for writers – courses, libraries and writers' retreats
  • Copyright and libel information
  • Finance for writers and artists.

See also

References
  1. "The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook", BBC
  2. "Essential Reading for Writers". Irish Times. 13 September 2003.
  3. Neill, Graeme (2 February 2011). "Coleman to leave A & C Black for Magi". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  4. "New website with free resources for writers and artists". Publishers Association. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  5. Gallagher, Victoria (7 August 2009). "Writers and Artists Yearbook launches social networking". Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  6. "Self-published writers get online resource". The Bookseller. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  7. "Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2014 Short Story Competition". Commonwealth Writers. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  8. "Prizes". Book Trust. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  9. Williams, Charlotte (1 March 2012). "Bloomsbury launches crime story competition". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
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