UKers?

[roger]

Hi,

Just wondering if there were any UK-based Absolute Writers interested in sharing experiences specific to the UK-market. Not exclusively, you understand! It's great to hear how things work in the US, but there may be some differences. Lots of similarities too, of course.

There may have been a thread about this before. If so, sorry to repeat.

Cheers all,

Roger.

[Tilly]

Most UK agents seem to want the first three chapters and a synopsis, and from reading this board, most US agents seem to want just a query letter initially.
Of course, there are UK agents who want query letters, and US agents who want a sample of writing, but it seems an interesting (and probably meaningless) difference.

[roger]

Hi, Tilly. Thanks for your thoughts. And congratulations on that short story acceptance! Was it with a UK or US publication? There are so few places to submit short stories to over here, though we do have radio four. Ever thought of subbing there?

[Tilly]

Thank you :) It was for a UK publication. I've found most of the well paying short story markets are the women's magazines.

I've been looking at information for the BBC over the last few days, they've got a great site for writers here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/

[Zolah]

Hi,

Just wondering if there were any UK-based Absolute Writers interested in sharing experiences specific to the UK-market. Not exclusively, you understand! It's great to hear how things work in the US, but there may be some differences. Lots of similarities too, of course.

There may have been a thread about this before. If so, sorry to repeat.

Cheers all,

Roger.

I'm a UK based writer. What kind of stories are you looking for?

Comparing the markets...well, I've worked with an English and an American editor. It's rather like comparing apples and oranges.

The English one is an absolute sweetie. He's taught me more or less everything I know, and is always encouraging me to stretch myself and take risks with my writing. I wish they gave out awards to editors, because I would certainly nominate him. But he's always so stressed out and over-worked that I feel guilty every time I email him, and I routinely have to wait weeks for feedback on what I've sent. I get the feeling that everything in his office moves at grinding pace and that he wades through piles of work everytime he has to get up to go to the bathroom (bless him).

The American one was sharp as a tack, frighteningly efficient and replied to every set of revisions I sent within the day, cutting a re-writing process that I would normally have expected to last several weeks (if not months) down to around five days in total. She wanted things doing now, now, now (which suited me very well, since I have the patience of the five year old). She had a very analytical approach, and obviously edited with an eye for the market of the book, wanting to make it more audience friendly. It was great fun to work with her, but I was glad to have worked with English Editor beforehand, or I would never have gotten through it alive...