Why the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook is such a useful reference book

The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook – published by Bloomsbury – is an incredibly helpful resource. If you’re a writer, illustrator, editor or proofreader, I would recommend getting an up-to-date copy as a gift to yourself this year. It’s simply stuffed full of expert advice, lists of contacts in the publishing industry and support for each step in the publishing process.

If you are a writer, here is some of the useful information it contains:

·       Contact details for thousands of literary agents, publishers, creative organisations etc.

·       Articles written by established authors and industry professionals offering insights and advice on writing and getting published.

·       Explanations about the range of publishing pathways available to writers, including self-publishing.

·       Relevant information for a wide range of different genres and formats.

·       As it is revised and updated annually, the latest trends in publishing are covered.

But this isn’t just a reference book for writers and artists; I feel it can also be valuable for editors and proofreaders.

If you are an editor or proofreader, here is some relevant information it contains:

·       Contact details for thousands of publishers and other organisations that publish written information. This is helpful for networking and finding potential clients. Editors and proofreaders who have a niche or specialism can find contacts that are relevant to their work very quickly and easily.

·       Articles with insider information on the publishing process and what publishers expect when manuscripts are submitted to them. This is particularly important for editors and proofreaders to keep in mind when working on texts that are going to be sent to literary agents or publishers.

·       As it is revised annually, editors and proofreaders can ensure that they are up to date on the latest developments in the publishing industry.

In addition to the book, there is a website to complement it (www.writersandartists.co.uk). Here you can find free resources, articles, competitions and a community to join.

When there is such a wealth of reference books to invest in, it can be quite overwhelming. To decide whether I wanted to buy the 2025 edition, I looked through a copy in my local library first. You may wish to do the same.

Over the last year, the yearbook has been a really useful reference guide to use in my day-to-day work. I’ve also enjoyed reading the wide range of interesting articles, such as ‘Writing for readers’ by Rachel McLean.