Nearly £150-worth of books to be won

Five copies each of Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, Writing Fantasy Fiction and Writing Horror Fiction up for grabs

A&C Black are probably best known (among writers, at least!) for their annual Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. The Yearbook is regarded as the writer’s bible, and almost every serious writer has a copy. However, unless you’ve just bought the latest one, the chances are your current copy is out of date!

In this competition, we are giving away FIVE copies of the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook 1997, published on September 5 at £10.99. Now in its 90th edition, this is the essential guide for anyone connected with the media. All the information is updated each year and many new areas and entries added.

Special sections this year include avoiding ‘isms’ in writing – ie: sexism, racism, ageism – and a list of literature festivals, which feature alongside articles on writing for newspapers and for broadcasting. There is also Alex Hamilton’s Top 100 Fastseller list, and much more.

You can’t afford to rely on an old edition!

A&C Black also publish a number of guides to various kinds of writing, and we are fortunate that they have agreed to provide FIVE copies each of Writing Fantasy Fiction and Writing Horror Fiction for this competition.

Writing Fantasy Fiction by Sarah LeFanu – published in May at £8.99 – is a practical guide for aspiring writers covering the different kinds of fantasy fiction, including comic fantasy, children’s fantasy and dark fantasy. It covers the process from inspiration to publication, and while offering practical advice about the market for fantasy, it emphasises that fantasy writing is in essence no different from other kinds of fiction writing: equally difficult, equally rewarding.

Sarah LeFanu was for many years commissioning editor at The Women’s Press, responsible for the widely acclaimed fantasy and science fiction list. She has since edited five anthologies of original fiction and also works as a creative writing teacher.

Writing Horror Fiction by Guy N. Smith – published on August 31 at £8.99 – is a complete guide to writing horror fiction and achieving publication. Starting with a look at the development of horror fiction over the years, from 1830 to the present day, the book then covers characterisation and plots, expanding ideas, how to go about writing the book, finding a publisher, publication and post publication. All types of horror fiction are covered, including short stories and children’s horror.

Guy N. Smith was first published at the age of 12 in a local newspaper. Since then he has been a prolific writer, with 12 non-fiction books and children’s books to his name as well as over 70 horror fiction books.

For a chance of winning one of these top quality books for writers, all you have to do is answer the following questions:

1. How many editions of the Writers’ and Artists Yearbook have there been?

a) 32 b)72 c) 90

2. Who is the fantasy writer responsible for the Discworld series of books?

a) Perry Watchett b) Terry Pratchett c) Kerry Pritchett

3. Which writer of horror fiction wrote The Fall of the House of Usher, The Black Cat and The Telltale Heart?

a) Edgar Allan Poe b) Hedder Ellen Trow b) Roger Melon Crowe

If you think the answer to question 1 is 72, write 1. b), and so on until you’ve answered all three.

Send your entry by e-mail to wayahead@cix.compulink.co.uk. Alternatively, you can send your entries ON A POSTCARD or BACK OF A SEALED ENVELOPE to A&C Black Competition, Writers’ Update, 27 Woodford Green, Bratton, Telford, Shropshire TF5 0NS. Do not forget to include your name and full address. Please also state clearly which book you would like to receive if you are among the winners.

Closing date for entries is December 6, 1996. Entries will be divided into three bags, according to book preference, and the first five all-correct entries drawn from each bag will be the winners. The editor’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. There will be no cash equivalent of the prizes. Employees of A&C Black and Way Ahead, and their close families, cannot enter.

Winners will be notified by post as soon as possible after the closing date. We will publish the names of winners in the March 1997 floppy disk issue of Writers’ Update, and in this Web version of the magazine as soon as the results are known.