
Being a good writer is 3% talent, 97% not being distracted by the Internet … Anon

Useful links for N.E. writers
Scroll through some service links for writers
This page provides information and links to
a selection of services for writers. Listing these
services is not a reccommendation or
endorsment of the provider and, as always,
you should exercise due dilligence when
dealing with these businesses.
I INPRESS BOOKS I BLOODAXE BOOKS I VANE WOMEN PRESS I NEW WRITING NORTH I ARTS COUNCIL I NORTHERN FICTION ALLIANCE I SUMMERHILL BOOKS I HARPER NORTH I TYNE BRIDGE PUBLISHING I THE BOOK CORNER I THE NORTH LIT AGENCY I THE SCRATCHING SHED I KDP I MECURIAN BOOKS I NOVELO I BAFTA ROCLIFFE I TUTORFUL I SINEAD HENEGAN LITERARY AGENCY I THE LIVERPOOL LITERARY AGENCY I WRITE FESTIVAL 23 I VICTORINA PRESS I AGENTQUERY.COM I ASSOCIATION OF AUTHORS AGENTS I ARTS CENTRE WASHINGTON WRITERS GROUP I
Inpress Books - Publishing
Inpress
is an Arts Council Funded organisation, proudly based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
that works to promote work by independent publishers. Inpress Books supports the creation
of ground-breaking, inclusive literature through the business development of
our diverse independent publishers, building the careers of their authors by
increasing and diversifying their audience through our sales and marketing
activities. We connect the innovative writing of tomorrow to readers via
bookshops, libraries and online retail.
Click on the image to find out more:
Bloodaxe Books - Publishing
Bloodaxe Books has revolutionised poetry publishing in Britain over four decades. Internationally renowned for quality in literature and excellence in book design, our authors and books have won virtually every major literary award given to poetry, from the T.S. Eliot Prize, Costa Book of the Year and Pulitzer to the Nobel Prize in Literature. And books like the Staying Alive anthology series have broken new ground by opening up contemporary poetry to many thousands of new readers.
Grant support from Arts Council England makes it possible for Bloodaxe to publish up to thirty new titles a year by a bold and diverse range of new and established writers from Britain, Ireland, America and many other countries, including poetry in translation and proportionally more collections by women poets than any other British imprint.
Bloodaxe Books was founded in Newcastle by Neil Astley in 1978. It became a
non-profit limited company in 1982.
Bloodaxe's main office is now at South Park, Hexham, Northumberland. Distribution is handled by
Grantham Book Services (GBS), while UK and European book trade marketing is
done by PGUK and Repforce Ireland. Consortium in Minneapolis are responsible
for sales in North America and other international markets, with warehousing
and distribution via Ingram.
Click on the image to find out more:
Vane Women Press - Publishing
In 2023, Vane Women Press celebrates 30 years of publishing. We specialise in first pamphlets (poetry or short stories) of women who live in the North East of England. Since 1993, we have brought out 23 beautiful pamphlets, two full collections and seven anthologies. You can view most of these on our Publications page. To mark this milestone, we are intending to publish an anniversary anthology, featuring a poem or short story from our Vane Women Press writers.
Click on the image to find out more:
New Writing North - Development
Regarded as an
engine for creative reading and writing, New Writing North
is the writing development agency for the North of England. We
are based in Newcastle upon Tyne, from where we have produced nationally
significant work since 1996. Writing is powerful. It can
change the way we explore the world, understand ourselves and connect with one
another. Writers craft the stories that shape us. We bring people together
through books and writing. We create opportunities for writers and we find and
support talented people from all backgrounds to achieve their creative
ambitions. We build the narrative power of young people and communities
throughout the North. We platform the work of those whose voices are missing
from the mainstream conversation.
Click on the image to find out more:
Arts Council, England - Support
Welcome to Arts
Council England. We are the national development agency for creativity and culture. We're
looking for organizations, artists, events and others to apply for our funding
and help us achieve our strategy, Let's Create.
Click on the image to find out more:
The Northern Fiction Alliance - Publishing
Founded in 2016 by four of the UK's leading independents – Manchester's Comma Press, Leeds's Peepal Tree Press, Liverpool's Dead Ink Books, and Sheffield's And Other Stories – the Northern Fiction Alliance is a radical publishing collective devised to showcase the creativity, diversity and spirit of risk-taking that sets publishers in the North of England apart.
Already the Alliance has more than doubled its membership, welcoming established and emerging indies from across the region to the fold: Fly on the Wall Press (Manchester), Saraband (Salford), Bluemoose (Hebden Bridge), Tilted Axis (Sheffield), Mayfly (Newcastle), Route (Pontefract), Valley Press (Scarborough), Wrecking Ball (Hull), Cultureword (Commonword) (Manchester), Confingo, (Manchester) Dodo Ink, Dostoyevsky Wannabe (Manchester), Flapjack Press (Manchester) Honford Star (Stockport), NightJar Press (Manchester), Route (Pontefract), Stairwell Books (York), zimZalla (Manchester) Bloodaxe Books, Arc Publications, Carcanet, (Manchester) If P then Q (Manchester) and Smokestack Books (Ripon). Together we are reshaping and redefining the UK's literary landscape, commissioning bold new works, and providing alternative platforms for underrepresented authors.
Click on the image to find out more:
Summerhill Books - Publishing
Summerhill Books is a North East publishing company specialising in local history. Our aim is to produce high quality books that reflect the unique history of Tyneside, Northumberland and Durham. Titles include photographic histories of local communities, personal memoirs and books reflecting the great industries of the region.
Click on the image to find out more:
Harper North Connection - Support
HarperNorth, newly established in 2020, is here to connect writers to readers, to find, nurture and grow the best voices from across the region and bring the most compelling stories to readers everywhere. Based in Manchester, we're here to search for fiction and non-fiction from memoir to history, crime to rom-com. We want books that take you to places you know, and show you worlds you don't, stories that grip you, surprise you and haunt you. We want to share voices that inform, entertain and enthrall.
Click on the image to find out more:
Tyne Bridge - Publishing
Welcome to Tyne
Bridge Publishing. We are based at Newcastle Libraries and publish books on the
history of Newcastle upon Tyne and the surrounding region. Whatever your
interest, from shipbuilding to suburbs or from the bridges on the Tyne to
haunted houses, you're sure to find something you'll enjoy.
Click on the image to find out more:
The Book Corner - Support
The Book Corner is proud to support Independent Publishers. We want to shout about lesser-known small presses and give our customers the chance to discover incredible titles from around the world. The Book Corner is an independent bookshop situated in the historic Piece Hall in Halifax, West Yorkshire. We stock a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles including a wide selection of children's books. We are pleased to support local authors and often have signed copies, exclusive editions and pre-order offers available.
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The North Lit Agency - Agent
The North was founded in October 2017 by a group of agents with decades of experience in the book world: not only as agents, but as booksellers and publishers – and even a writer. We're a small agency, but we think our list of best-sellers and award winners shows that we punch above our weight. In a business dominated by large London publishers and agencies, we're proud to be one of very few literary agencies based in the north; though our reach is global, with writers published in more than 30 territories around the world.
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The Scratching Shed - Publishing
Scratching Shed is a Leeds-based independent publishing company founded over a pint in Blackburn back in May 2008. Our primary aim is to produce high-quality books inspired by aspects of northern English culture, though in recent years that brief has widened considerably to include several national and international titles and the monthly rugby league magazine Forty20. The company was founded by its current co-directors Phil Caplan and Tony Hannan, a couple of Yorkshire-based authors, journalists and occasional broadcasters. The company secretary and chief media contact is Ros Caplan. Our chief editorial consultants are Mike Latham and Professor Tony Collins.
Click on the image to find out more:
KDP - Publishing
Self-publish
eBooks and print books for free with Kindle Direct Publishing, and reach
millions of readers on Amazon. Get to market
fast. Publishing is simple and your book appears on Amazon Stores around
the world within days. Make more money.
Earn up to 70% royalty on sales to customers in the US, Canada, UK, Germany,
India, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and more. Enroll
in KDP Select and earn more money through Kindle Unlimited. Stay in control. Keep control of your content
and set your own list prices in all territories where you hold publishing
rights. Publish in digital and print.
Publish eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcover for free on KDP.
Click on the image to find out more:
Mecurian Books - Publishing
MECURIAN BOOKS is the imprint and publishing home of Author and Writer Quentin Cope, creating and constructing good books alongside the abundance of great writing talent residing in the North East of England. With several projects in hand, MECURIAN BOOKS will be unable to accept submissions or queries for the calendar Year 2023. We hope to have space available on our list at some stage in the near future and if you are looking for our particular and unique kind of service then we recommend you keep checking this page. Don't forget, we are looking specifically for submissions from future novelists located in the North East and therefore any communications or queries should include your current address.
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BAFTA Rocliffe
About Us : Connecting Industry to Emerging Writing & Filmmaking Talent
About Us
Rocliffe was set up in 2000 by
producer Farah Abushwesha to champion emerging writing and directing
talent, and develop diverse stories with an international outlook.
Rocliffe is a recipient of the 2020 BFI Vision Award, with a vibrant
slate of films and TV Series in development, and runs the BAFTA Rocliffe
New Writing Competition in partnership with BAFTA.
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Tutorful
Find a trusted expert Writing tutor in Hartlepool. Learn online or in person with experienced, vetted tutors. You're in control, with lessons that fit around your schedule. With Tutorful, you can fit your lessons around your schedule. Learn between 7am and 10pm - even on weekends! Whether you'd prefer to learn online or in person, they offer to find you the perfect tutor. Their First-Lesson Guarantee means that if you didn't love your first lesson, they'll pay for your next one! See their listing of talented tutors to find your perfect match and start progressing towards your learning goals today.
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The Liverpool Literary Agency
The Liverpool Literary Agency started as an editing company with a diverse list of clients comprising accountants, taxi drivers, sport scientists, NHS workers and hospitality sector workers, alongside more experienced writers with qualifications in Creative Writing or other literature-based subjects. These writers all had one thing in common—the publishing industry seemed inaccessible, London-centric and intimidating. So, we knew that it was time to go beyond editing, especially as costs and contacts are the main barriers for many of our writers. We were inspired by the report, Common People: Breaking the Class Ceiling in UK Publishing, which confirmed our belief that many promising authors see their careers stall in the face of limiting barriers, including 'a lack of support networks and contacts, lower levels of self-confidence and the publishing industry's lack of social diversity'. Overall, we're here for under-represented writers from the north, and to support equality, diversity and inclusion in the publishing industry.
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Sinead Henegan Literary Agency
Sinead is a literary agent based in the heart of Manchester. Having built her career in the London publishing industry, she is here with a mission to launch the careers of exciting debut writers across the UK and Ireland. Her literary agency is new and her service is boutique so her promise to each of her authors is simply this: She will be good to you. You'll get her full attention and energy, and work together at every single stage to nurture your talent and your career.
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Write Festival 23
Check out FREE events and workshops as part of The Word's WRITE Festival which is held across
the whole of September at The Word and other library venues.
Enjoy a programme of unmissable events, workshops and performances! Find out more by viewing our full WRITE Festival programme
Click on the image to find out more:
Victorina Press
Our mission is to publish great books which are also inspirational. To do this we follow principles of bibliodiversity, a concept developed by a group of Chilean independent publishers — Editores independientes de Chile — in the late 1990s and now part of the ethos of many worldwide independent publishers. Diversity is beautiful. Many of our books have won or been shortlisted for awards, and we were the proud winners of the 2022 Saboteur Award for Most Innovative Publisher.
The Foundations
Victorina Press was founded by the late Consuelo Rivera-Fuentes, a Chilean-British writer and academic. Victorina Press is therefore strongly rooted in both Chilean and British cultures.
Consuelo's Latin American roots play a huge role in our publishing today, with many of our books being translated into Spanish as stand-alone or bilingual publications. This has also opened the door for us to explore publishing in other languages as well, which is not traditionally the role of a single publisher.
The company was originally based in Market Drayton, a small market town in Shropshire. The location was very important, as there are many publishing companies in London, but far fewer in the rest of the UK. In 2019 Consuelo moved house and so the company moved too. We are now based in Kingstone, Uttoxeter.
The name Victorina Press was chosen in honour of Consuelo's mother who passed on her love for reading and literature to all her children. To find out more about the roots of Victorina Press, check out our blog post In the Beginning…
Victorina Press is an independent publisher. Our books are listed on Nielsen, and through them are available from most major commercial online bookshops – for example, Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles, and other independent bookshops. Our books can also be ordered through Gardners.
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AgentQuery.com
AgentQuery.com offers one of the largest searchable database of literary agents on the web—a treasure
trove of reputable, established literary agents seeking writers just like you.
And it's free (not because there's a catch, but simply because not enough
things in this world are free).
Click on the image to find out more:
Association of Authors Agents
Members of AAA are dedicated to promoting authors' works across domestic and global markets. Every member agency also strives to defend and champion authors' writers in the UK, abroad, and online.
For further details please visit the association's website directly and click through to the Members Directory where you will find over 100 Agent contacts with most providing email and web addresses.
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National Centre for the Written Word - South Shields
The Word, National Centre for the Written Word is South Tyneside's state-of-the-art cultural venue which has a lot to offer! The building is brimming with exciting new experiences, activities and facilities for people of all ages to engage and enjoy. From the Digital Media Wall, to the FabLab - there is also an impressive, immersive storytelling experience in StoryWorld which hosts regular events over school holidays as well as interactive touch-tables, telescopes, Kids' Activity Area, Creative Play Area and a Gaming Zone. There is also a Shop/Visitor Information Centre and a Café. The building is home to 70,000 books as well as OpenZone, who provide digital learning and ICT to schools during term time. At its core The Word celebrates the written word in all its forms through a rolling programme of events, exhibitions and workshops and it also aims to become a home for north-east writers.