The Launch of Compass Books

The 1st November was an exciting time for O-Books, with the launch of its new website under John Hunt Publishing. It was also an exciting day for introducing one of it’s new imprints, Compass Books. It’s almost a year since the idea for expanding the creative writing interests of O-Books was first mooted, and during that time several TNW subscribers have had books accepted for publication in order to get the ball rolling.
The first four Compass Books - Simon Whaley’s The Positively Productive Writer; Lynne Hackles’ Handy Hints For Writers; Linda M James’s How To Write and Sell Great Short Stories and my own Life-Writes - are due to see the light of day early in the New Year.
The New Writer is also involved in Writer’s Wheel (brain-child of Maria Moloney), which will offer a selection of free self-help articles for the various writing disciplines, together with courses and services operated by the authors who have books published in the O-Books/John Hunt stable. Due to be launched in May 2012, WW will cover every aspect of the business such as fiction and non-fiction writing skills, marketing, proofreading, review and copy-editing services, and how-to self-publish. The ultimate aim is for WW to become the one-stop shop for all writing needs.
So here we are … a whole website of editors and publishers who are writers in their own right, and all contributing to help beginners get their foot on the publishing ladder.

What We’re Looking For
Let’s begin by saying what Compass Books doesn’t want. Avoid overworked subjects such as writers’ A-Z compilations; beginners’ how-to’s covering every writing discipline on the planet; motivational texts; collections of previously published articles; or re-hashes of old fashioned, out of print titles. What we do want are proposals for how-to books for writers that are packed with practical advice, tips and exercises; from authors with a few publishing successes to their credit and the ability to produce new writing tutorials that are original in approach, informative and entertaining. Books based on each author’s personal writing experience and achievements, together with appropriate tutorial experience, will be given preference because these are writers who are writing about what they know.
For example, rather than a book about ‘how to write a novel’ or ‘how to write for children’, we are looking for authors who write in, and can write about, a specific genre, i.e. historical fiction, modern romance, chick lit or fantasy. While each category of children’s writing also has its own set of ‘rules’ from toddlers to teens, and young adults. What are the differences in publisher requirements between the different genres? What are the marketing tricks in that particular category? How can you get ahead of the game? Which pitfalls should you avoid?
Proposals are already in the pipeline for how to write crime, the MB&S market, self help/how to and research techniques. And here’s our current wanted list for starters:
Scriptwriting
Plays
Novel writing (specific genres)
Writing for children (different age groups)
Young adults
Poetry
Science Fiction

John Hunt Publishing distribution covers the USA, Canada, South Africa, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the Far East and so it will also be to your advantage to give your book an international appeal where possible. If you are writing a new book that fits the Compass list, and we seem like a possible publisher, send your synopsis with full chapter break-down and the opening chapter via email in the first instance (as all Compass Books business is conducted on-line) to suzanneruthven@eircom.net
For submission guidelines for the other imprints go to www.johnhuntpublishing.com

This article first appeared in the Winter issue of The New Writer

BOOK REVIEW

There's now a publishing date for Life-Writes for the 25th May 2012 and an advance book review:

"This is a practical and substantial insider guide for the new writer, highly informative and brimful of helpful advice from a vastly experienced author and a specialist in this field. A compendium of riches, it covers the waterfront and beyond."
Merric Davidson, publisher The New Writer magazine