Carcanet Press, one of the UK’s outstanding independent literary publishers, is offering a 9 month Positive Action Publishing Traineeship at its Manchester offices, supported by Arts Council England. Click here for more information.

 
The Writer’s Handbook 2008 Edited by Barry Turner, is by far the single most important book that a writer needs. This is a comprehensive and revised edition of the annual book. Its full of useful information and invaluable advice; a complete and exhaustive list of UK and US publishers, poetry presses, literary agents, book clubs and societies, a list of useful websites along with information about prizes, bursaries and fellowships and more.
The Writer’s Handbook 2008 is published by Pan Macmillan and is available to buy now.  

 
Imran Ahmad’s Unimagined (2007) is the beguiling memoir of a Muslim boy born in Pakistan, who moves to London aged two and grows up to embrace the West. The endearing narrator recalls his childhood in a series of vivid snapshots. TAWP caught up with Imran Ahmad…
Why did you feel the urge to write this book, and did you ever imagine at the time that it would be so well received?
I always wanted to write a book, from childhood days – I always had that urge. The trouble when I was younger was …

Bitter Sweets is a wonderful debut story about love and the complexities of family deceit, stretching into three generations. Set in London on the 1980′s and 90′s it is an addictive read, the characters incredibly real and enticing. Shortlisted for the Orange Prize for News Writers, TAWP speaks to Roopa Farooki about the book which has really got everyone talking this year.
Roopa, what made you write this story?
Bitter Sweets is about the impact of deception on family relationships, and I’ve always been fascinated by the dynamics of truth-telling within families, …

 
Ishq and Mushq is a sensuous generational novel about a Sikh mother whose secret past corrodes her life with tragic consequences for all. Spanning the second half of the twentieth century, and moving between India, Africa and Britain this moving and funny family saga dramatizes how Ishq can redeem and compromise and Mushq can seduce and betray. Priya Basil discusses her debut novel with TAWP…  
The characters in the novel are so life like did you draw inspiration from real life or are they entirely made up?
Some of the inspiration is …

Credit: Ed Kashi

 
Forget about the authors and their books who claim that writing is impossible, that getting through the slush pile is impossible and getting published is impossible! There needs to be positivity to enable creativity and Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer is a reassuring and comforting friend. Full of good, sensible and practical advice.
Brande’s advice is over seventy years old reminding us that writing in an age old art and like anything you aspire to be good at, you simply have to practise. If you’re going to be published and continue to be published you need …

If you’ve never had the time or money to attend a creative writing course then a visit to the Open Learn website is a must. The Open University has released hundreds of its modules, used on their paid for courses online, giving free access to internet users worldwide. Registered users have unlimited access to the course modules and there is no limit to the number which can be undertaken. Writers will find three modules of particular interest:
The modules are a short introduction and offer writers an insight to the concepts discussed at length on a formal …