Acorn Publishing launches search for next breakout author with San Diego Writers Festival
timesofsandiego.com – Wednesday September 3, 2025
Could your novel or memoir be the next breakout hit? Acorn Publishing is searching nationwide for an unpublished author to take center stage at the 2026 San Diego Writers Festival, which has previously featured writers such as Anne Lamott, James Patterson, and Piper Kerman.
One exceptional unpublished author will receive a full-service publishing package valued at over $11,000, awarded completely free, according to a news release.
The winner will be announced live on stage at the festival in Coronado, which draws roughly 2,000 visitors each year. Past festivals have featured keynote speakers including Anne Lamott, James Patterson, and Piper Kerman, author of Orange Is the New Black.
Women’s Prize Trust announces Hachette UK partnership to support writer development
womensprize.com – Monday September 1, 2025
We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Hachette UK to support writer development, including a mentoring scheme for aspiring non-fiction writers and the first ever ‘Discoveries Day’.
Narrative Non-Fiction Mentoring
The narrative non-fiction mentoring programme will form part of ‘Horizons’, the free writing toolkit by the Women’s Prize Trust, designed to inspire and support new voices in the world of non-fiction writing. The mentoring programme will expand the existing resources offered by Horizons, including practical writing resources, features, prompts, free online events, and contributions from publishing industry experts and leading non-fiction writers, and compliment the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction, launched in 2024 to celebrate excellent, original and accessible narrative non-fiction, supported by Findmypast.
Free to enter, the mentorship scheme seeks applications from unpublished and unagented women writing non-fiction. Entries are particularly encouraged from experts in science (such as health, psychology and technology) and culture (such as politics and current affairs).
Layoffs Hit Bloomsbury US Children’s Division
publishersweekly.com – Wednesday August 27, 2025
Bloomsbury US has eliminated five positions in its children’s division, a Bloomsbury representative has confirmed. According to multiple literary agents, who spoke with PW on condition of anonymity, the positions cut included an editor, creative director, associate publicist, designer, and an employee in the production department; in addition, at least one planned title was cut.
In a statement, the company called the cuts “part of a strategic shift toward publishing a more curated list,” adding: “Bloomsbury US is a strong and thriving business, and these changes were limited solely to the children’s division. These decisions were not taken lightly for the affected individuals and the broader organization. We are committed to supporting impacted employees and ensuring they receive the help and resources needed.”
Prominent Kids’ Authors Build a Low-Residency MFA Program
publishersweekly.com – Friday August 22, 2025
Three high-profile authors have put their heads and their networks together to dream up a university program tailor-made for children’s and YA creators. Martha Brockenbrough, A.S. King, and David Macinnis Gill are launching a low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Young Readers, headquartered at the University of San Francisco. The first cohort will begin their studies in June 2026, and the application portal is open.
In addition to the three co-founders, inaugural faculty include Tracey Baptiste, Ann Dávila Cardinal, Erin Entrada Kelly, An Na, and Dashka Slater, with additional faculty coming on board in the future. Students and faculty will meet in person each June and January on the University of San Francisco campus. The rest of the time, students will work from home to complete coursework in craft and criticism. Once their two years of courses are complete, they’ll finish their degrees with a fifth residency where they present their work and co-lead a workshop with a faculty member.
“Our agenda will be to make room for all sorts and shapes of stories,” program director Brockenbrough told PW. “I have had so many exciting conversations with people about building something truly epic, and we’re raising scholarship funds to ensure students have every possibility to attend.” The program will actively recruit students from marginalized communities and will nurture inclusive stories, and the co-founders will fundraise with industry partners to reduce students’ financial burdens and defray the $48,000 program cost. Literary agent Barry Goldblatt was the first to step up as a sponsor, pledging $10,000.
18th Annual WriterCon at The Skirvin – Labor Day Weekend
freepressokc.com – Wednesday August 20, 2025
The 18th Annual WriterCon is set to inspire and empower writers of all genres from August 29th to September 1st, 2025, at the newly renovated, historic Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City. Keynote addresses will be given by New York Times best-selling author, Laurie L. Dove, and Nova McBee, whose book, Calculated, is being made into a major motion picture.
Hosted by renowned Oklahoma author, William Bernhardt, with over 60 books to his name, including next year’s release, The Superman Wars. This year’s conference will be the largest yet with a lineup of over 60 speakers, including bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers, leading a variety of keynotes, breakout sessions, and workshops.
WriterCon has become a hallmark event for Oklahoma and the writing community, bringing together seasoned professionals and aspiring writers alike. This year, over 200 attendees from around the country and even New Zealand are expected to gather for four days of education, inspiration, and networking.
Secrets of Publishing: A Conversation with Literary Agents, Editors, and Authors
pen.org – Wednesday August 20, 2025
P&T Knitwear, in conjunction with PEN America, is pleased to welcome back award-winning author Susan Shapiro for a panel discussion of insider tips and tricks for navigating the publishing world! Shapiro will be joined in conversation by author-editor Miya Lee (New York Times Modern Love), author and literary agent Alia Hannah Habib, editors Paul Whitlach (Penguin Random House) and Rachel Kahan (Harper Collins), vice-president and publisher of Legacy Lit Krishan Trotman, and author-and-teacher Rob Cameron.
This hybrid event will be held in-person with limited amphitheater-style seating, and will be available live over Zoom for the members of PEN America.
The cost of a $5 general admission ticket for both in-person and online can be applied towards your purchase of any book or product in P&T’s café the night of an event or through online purchase.
Nero New Writers Prize: £3,000 + Creative Writing Scholarship to Brunel University
brittlepaper.com – Monday August 18, 2025
The Nero Book Awards has launched New Writers Prize in association with Brunel University of London. The winner will receive £3,000, a scholarship for an MA in Creative Writing at Brunel, and an introduction to a literary agent. Each runner-up will receive £1,000 and a mentorship session with a member of Brunel’s Creative Writing faculty.
Note that the prize is open to adults who are citizens of, or resident in, the UK and Ireland. African writers residing in these countries are encouraged to apply.
The Nero New Writers Prize seeks to uncover untapped writing talent and support them as they develop into the stars of the future. The Nero Book Awards, sponsored by Caffè Nero, celebrate outstanding writing by authors living in the UK and Ireland. The new partnership with Brunel University expands this mission by supporting emerging writers.
WHACK! Crime, mystery, thriller authors gather in Franklin for Killer Nashville conference
eu.tennessean.com – Sunday August 17, 2025
The body lay on the floor of the hotel, a bullet hole signaling how it had wound up in that position.
Onlookers gathered, examining the way the body fell, its positioning in the room, entry and exit wounds.
And how did the shooter disappear so quickly?
While the sleuths pondered, other hotel guests dialed 911. But the gruesome scene wasn't real. It had been staged by Killer Nashville, an annual writers conference.
The dead guy was a dummy.
"That really happened," said Clay Stafford, the man who started Killer Nashville in 2006 from an idea born over a couple too many bottles of saki.
This year's conference will be Aug. 21-24 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Franklin, near the Cool Springs Galleria. More than 450 authors, editors, book agents, public relations agents and literary accountants are expected to attend. Those scheduled to attend are flying in from locations including Australia, Japan, Spain and Lithuania.
Writers' Handbook 2026 now available to buy
firstwriter.com – Sunday August 17, 2025
The 2026 edition of firstwriter.com’s annual directory for writers has just been released, and is now available to buy both as a paperbook and an ebook.
The directory is the perfect book for anyone searching for literary agents, book publishers, or magazines. It contains over 1,400 listings, including revised and updated listings from the 2025 edition, and over 200 brand new entries.
IBPA Opens Submissions for 38th Annual IBPA Book Awards
authorlink.com – Saturday August 16, 2025
The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) is now accepting submissions for its 38th annual IBPA Book Award program, a premier competition celebrating excellence in independent publishing. Authors and publishers with books released in 2025 are encouraged to enter for a chance to be recognized as a winner.
The IBPA Book Awards are designed to honor the diverse and vibrant voices within the independent publishing community. With 60 unique categories, the program ensures that every book, regardless of its niche or audience, has an opportunity to be celebrated. Categories span a wide range of genres and topics, including politics, history, parenting, cookbooks, sports, animals, fiction, and children’s books.
In a move to further champion community-centered publishing, the IBPA has introduced several new categories this year. These additions are intended to highlight works from and for AAPI Communities, Black/African American Communities, Disabled Communities, First Nations/Indigenous Communities, Latina/o/e Communities, LGBTQIA2+ Communities, and Neurodivergent Communities.
“Indie publishers serve diverse audiences and niche communities—not just the mainstream—and we celebrate that by offering unique categories to ensure every book has a chance to shine,” a statement from the IBPA noted. “Whether your title speaks to a specific cultural experience or a specialized subject, there’s a category that fits.”
A key feature of the IBPA Book Award program is the constructive feedback provided to every entrant. Participants will receive the actual judging forms, offering valuable insights on their submissions.
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