Allaboutwriting

Getting a manuscript published is often as difficult – and can take as long – as writing the book itself.

Not every book becomes a publishing sensation like Spud, the novel by John van der Ruit that has sold 200 000 and rising.

“About 1% of the people who talk of writing a book will ever put pen to paper,” says David Chislett, writer and expert on publishing matters. “Half, or even fewer, might finish it, and about 1% of those will actually get published.”

Chislett will be presenting a workshop, Getting Published, as part of Allaboutwriting’s Publishing Day, at the Rand Club, Johannesburg on June 24. The workshop, which runs from 2 to 6pm, will show participants how to take their manuscripts from their bottom drawers to the shelves of bookstores – real and virtual.

From 6.30pm, Allaboutwriting will host some of South Africa’s leading publishers in a discussion of what publishers look for, and the kind of manuscripts that interest them.

“Through our writing workshops, we teach aspirant writers the skills they need to turn their ideas into manuscripts,” says Jo-Anne Richards, author and co-founder of Allaboutwriting. “But every writer longs to be read, so we have arranged this event to help them realise that dream.”

Writers are invited to sign up for the workshop, at a cost of R500 – and can stay on to meet the publishers, and share a glass of sherry, a bowl of soup and a sandwich, at no extra cost. Should they only be interested in meeting the publishers, they can book for the evening event at a nominal cost of R75 all in.

The afternoon workshop explores what it takes to get from idea to manuscript to print. It does not attempt to teach participants what or how to write. But what it will do is help them to position themselves to publish their book successfully.

The ideas shared will help, inspire and expand new, aspiring, and even experienced authors.

The workshop draws on Chislett’s knowledge and experience from marketing in the publishing industry, compiling and editing short fiction, being a published author and self-publishing a music industry text book.

For more information please contact trishurquhart@gmail.com

Davis Chislett is the originator of the Urban series of short fiction and author of “A Body Remembered” and “1,2,1,2”. He is an experienced workshop facilitator and speaker and well-known entertainment journalist and publicist.

Allaboutwriting is a partnership between Richard Beynon and Jo-Anne Richards who are passionate about good writing, and have devised their courses to help communicate that passion – plus the skills that make it much more than an academic exercise.