Thinking About Self-Publishing?
What WriteClub members have learned about self-publishing - and an opportunity to win £20,000!
Photo by NMG Network on Unsplash
Hello there, dear writerly writer!
One of the most rewarding things about running WriteClub is seeing members take the journey from initial sparks of ideas to early drafts right through to finished books. Over the years, a number of writers in our community have chosen to self-publish - an excellent route for writers who want to maintain a higher level of creative control over their work.
After taking part in the Write Your Novel course a few years back, Pete Sherrard self-published his excellent war novel The Longest Spring and, after a 12 month programme of 1-1 mentoring, Thomas Messel self-published his beautiful novel The Nightingale of Bath through Kindle Direct Publishing. Other WriteClubbers who have chosen the self-publishing route include Sheila Brill with her moving memoir Can I Speak to Josephine Please?, Angie Reid with her delightful collection of quirky travel stories With Love, Angie and David Marks with his excellent memoir Life Blood about his experiences as a renowned leukaemia physician. Their books are very different, but each represents the same important step: deciding that a manuscript is ready to meet its readers.
You might be at the stage where you’re ready to publish your own manuscript, which is why I wanted to share that the Amazon Kindle Storyteller Award is now open for entries. This year marks the award’s 10th anniversary of the competition, and it offers writers who self-publish an unpublished book in English the chance to win £20,000.
The award is open to anyone aged 18 or over, writing in any genre. To enter, you need to publish your (previously unpublished!) book through Kindle Direct by 31 August 2026 and enrol it in Kindle Select. Since launching in 2016, the award has received more than 70,000 entries and has helped shine a spotlight on independent authors across the UK.
What appeals to me about opportunities like this is that they recognise self-publishing as a serious and increasingly respected route for writers. Whether you’re working on a novel, a memoir, or a non-fiction project, publishing independently can offer a way to share your work on your own terms and to learn a great deal about the publishing process along the way.
If you have a manuscript that’s close to completion, this could be just the encouragement you need to take the next step.
You can find out more about how to enter, along with the full terms and conditions, on the Amazon Kindle Storyteller Award page.
And if you’d like 1-1 support with getting your work into shape, ping me an email and let’s look at mentoring opportunities.
Whatever you do, keep writing!
Love,
Alison x
Coming up at WriteClub
✨ The Monthly Write In (1 hour) (monthly) Sat 13th June 10-11am
Once a month, we gather in the WriteClub Zoom Room for a generative hour of writing, connection and creative momentum. Expect a fresh prompt, a burst of actual writing, and good company. Free for paid subscribers · £8 drop-in. Grab your spot for the June session →
Upcoming dates for The Monthly Write In: Sat 25th July | Sat 29th Aug✨ The Novel Intensive (1 day - in-person, Bristol) Sat 11th July 10am-4pm
One day. One novel. A deep dive into the craft that makes fiction sing — narrative arcs, the paradoxes that power your story, character, dialogue and the shape of the whole thing. You'll leave buzzing with ideas and knowing exactly how to sharpen your work. £95 early bird. Book your place →✨ The Autumn Co-Writing Club (6 weeks) starts Mon 14th September.
Four 60 minute co-writing sessions a week for six whole weeks, plus a weekly prompt to spark new writing. It works like magic for focus, momentum and actually getting words on the page. All for £35. Bargain. Save your space →
For a tasty writing prompt, reading suggestions and a list of places to send your work this month (plus free access to all of The Monthly Write In sessions!) become a paid subscriber and enjoy the rest of the newsletter!
love, A x
