The Women Writers' Handbook - Ed. Ann Sandham BLOG TOUR

A revised edition of the publisher’s inaugural publication in 1990 which won the Pandora Award from Women-in-Publishing. Inspirational in its original format, this new edition offers insight and motivation for budding writers from dozens of distinguished authors, celebrating the breadth of women’s writing in all its forms. Also includes the original writing workshops from the first edition plus quirky B/W illustrations as well as a foreword by Cheryl Robson, publisher and Managing Editor, who was a recent finalist in the ITV National Diversity Awards - Lifetime Achievement category. Aurora Metro Books was a finalist in the 2019 IPG Diversity in Publishing Awards and has a 30 year history of ground-breaking publishing, featuring both diverse and international authors.

This edition offers a wide-ranging collection of over 30 essays, poems and interviews from the top, international women writers, poets, screenwriters and journalists. 

 The complete list of contributors: 

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

20% of profits to go to 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. 

 The collection has been edited by Ann Sandham.

I suppose what struck me so forcibly reading this collection was how many of these women were, hitherto,  unknown to me. I felt a slight amount of shame at that. Perhaps in part that derives from the belief that one was a feminist! Another misplaced belief is being better read than one actually is. No matter. What does matter though is that now I have read the book and all of these wonderful women are firmly on my radar.

The variety of material in this book is so refreshing. There is something for everybody in terms of style and genre. Each piece is prefaced by a relevant quotation or piece of art. I suppose it is to be expected that everyone will have their favourites. I especially enjoyed reading the piece by Emma Wolf. As the great niece of Virginia Woolf I guess she is in a good position to write about her great aunt! It’s a compassionate piece looking at 100 years on since the publication of Night and Day in 1919. But this troubled genius seems to come alive in Ms. Woolf’s short but poignant piece. Certainly inspired me to re-read Virginia Woolf. (although, frustratingly, I cannot find my copy of Mrs Dalloway.)

There are a variety of different aspects of being a woman, being a writer. Pieces by established and experienced writers, and pieces from those who struggled to get to the place where they are now. If you were to sum the collection up, inspiring would be the keyword. And I guess that would be the point of a women writers Handbook!?!

I read the book all in one go because I had a specific purpose  participating in a blog tour. But you don't necessarily need to do that. As with most collections you can dip into it. Select the parts you particularly want to read, when you want to read them. I went straight to the interview with Sarah Waters, the piece by Phillippa Gregory and the interview with Claire Tomalin. All women whose existing work I've enjoyed.  I hunkered down and read the book from cover to cover and emerged feeling the richer and the wiser for it. Whatever aspect of women's writing you're interested in you'd find something to satisfy your interest. There's material here that will inform and educate you as well as entertain you. There is a sense of solidarity too. Women joining together for a common purpose no matter that you're hearing about, quite specific and individual journeys in some cases. It remains uplifting and stimulating.

Also included in the book is a very useful section on writing workshops. Whilst I’m not part of a writing workshop myself many of the exercises here I’m going to have a stab at as I think they will benefit my own writing There is also a comprehensive resource directory compiled by Saskia Calliste, who is also one of the contributors. It is so useful to have all of these in one place. I can see this book becoming a constant companion.

My thanks to Kelly Lacey of LoveBooksTours for the opportunity to read the book and participate in the blog tour.