The Town Hall Writers’ Conference began this morning with an introduction to the five Ambassadors who are on hand to answer publishing questions over the weekend. They each gave their top tips that they wished they’d known at the start of their careers. From Toby Moore:
Toby Moore (former publisher and now academic)
- Have curiosity about life and experiences. Read and educate yourself. To break new ground one must know what the old ground was.
- Don’t just know about yourself and your mates: cross boundaries, absorb sights, suck up life. Don’t associate with other writers; go so far as to mix as with illiterate people or those that have an oral tradition
- At all times practice the lonely craft in order to find your voice.
- Know your readership and understand the different requirements/expectations of each market that you write for
- Hone your research and interview skills
- Develop a public persona that will help you promote yourself and when talking to publishers and the media, at festivals and schools and other speaking opportunities.
- Don’t be afraid to take risks and create controversy (and this is spoken by the man who published the Chopper Read children’s books) and try to earn a living in an area which allows you to write and practice your writing.
CAPITAL LETTERS 