The Women Writers' Handbook

The Women Writers' Handbook edited by Ann Sandham.

Published 5th June 2020 by Aurora Metro Books.

Read July 2020.

This book is a special revised edition of the publisher's inaugural, prize-winning publication, produced to mark their 30th anniversary as an independent publisher.

Featuring essays, short stories, poems and interviews with  over 30 top female writers - both emerging names and established authors - and also writing workshops to inspire a new generation of female talent, 20% of the profits from its sales will go towards the campaign to create of a bronze statue of Virginia Woolf.

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What a fabulous source book - full of inspirational essays, short stories, poems and interviews with some top female writers - about the writing process, feminism and the experience of female authors, designed to get the juices flowing for any woman who has the hankering to write.

The full list of contributors is as follows:

A.S. Byatt, Saskia Calliste, April De Angelis, Kit de Waal, Carol Ann Duffy, Sian Evans, Philippa Gregory, Mary Hamer, Jackie Kay, Shuchi Kothari, Bryony Lavery, Annee Lawrence, Roseanne Liang, Suchen Christine Lim, Jackie McCarrick, Laura Miles, Raman Mundair, Magda Oldziejewska, Kaite O’Reilly, Jacqueline Pepall, Gabi Reigh, Djamila Ribeiro, Fiona Rintoul, Jasvinder Sanghera, Anne Sebba, Kalista Sy, Debbie Taylor, Madeleine Thien, Claire Tomalin, Ida Vitale, Sarah Waters, Emma Woolf.

If this was not enough to make you want to grab your note book and pen and embark on a writing project, then there are also writing exercises designed to stimulate the creative impulses and a directory of resources to help you on your way!

And... quotes from some of the top women writers, both contemporary, and from history, are spread liberally throughout the publication, as encouragement.

"You can't use up creativity.

The more you use, the more you have."

- Maya Angelou

The Women Writers' Handbook is available to buy from your favourite book retailer now, or via this link Amazon UK.

If I have not already persuaded you that you need a copy of this book to hand on the writing desk you are now surely going to purchase (should you not have one already), perhaps it will help if you know that 20% of the profits from the sale of this book will go towards the Virginia Woolf statue campaign!

The Virginia Woolf statue campaign: The proposed statue will be located in Richmond on Thames where Virginia and Leonard Woolf lived from 1914-1924 and set up the Hogarth Press. A public consultation by the local council was 83% in favour of the statue and planning permission has been granted to site the first life-size statue in bronze of the famous author on Richmond riverside where the author walked her dog daily. Over 20% of the £50,000 target has been raised so far.

See more about the campaign HERE.

To donate to the campaign, please click HERE.

"A woman must have money and a room of her own

if she is to write fiction."

- Virginia Woolf

Thank you to Aurora Metro Books for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review and to Kelly Lacey of Love Books Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

From the cover of the book:

To celebrate Aurora Metro's 30th anniversary as an independent publisher 

with 20% of profits to go to the Virginia Woolf statue campaign. 

Includes essays, fiction, poems and interviews with top female writers. 

This is a special edition of the indie publisher's inaugural publication which won the 

Pandora Award from Women-in-Publishing. 

Inspirational in its original format, this new edition features literary works 

and exclusive interviews with over 30 women writers, both emerging authors 

and luminaries of contemporary literature. 

In her foreword to the book, publisher and managing editor Cheryl Robson, 

describes the development of Aurora Metro Books to becoming a leading indie press 

and saw the company named a finalist in the 2019 IPG Diversity in Publishing Awards. 

Includes the original writing workshops plus quirky black and white illustrations.

About the editor:

Ann Sandham has edited The Women Writers' Handbook for 2020 for Aurora Metro as a guest editor. 

In her day job, she is a Commissioning Editor for Ladybird Children's Books at Penguin Random House.

Previously, she worked at Cambridge University Press commissioning and editing educational textbooks and examinations.