Hi Jennifer, I'm going to send you a zmail on Zoe. The 'new organization for aspiring writers' is interesting.

Marie

Hi Peter,
It's funny you should mention KUNATI BOOKS in Canada. In April I see my first (non self) published book in the form of ENEMY WITHIN, a retrospective crime thriller set during the 1984 Miners Strike by Picnic Publisjing (www.picnic-publishing.co.uk) but they are only interested in my political retrospectives such as HOLLYWOOD BOWL and I have a shedload of sci fi novellas and hard boiled crime. Corinne, my publisher at Picnic, also suggested Kunati so I am definitely giving them a go.
Cheers
ROGER

I know what you mean, Roger, about the frustration of trying to find an agent to get your manuscripts to a publisher. I have a mountain of rejection slips in my past. Most people do. It wasn't until this past autumn that I finally signed on with a legitimate agency and have hopes that the book my agent is marketing will find some success. Have you tried the publisher of my first book, Kunati Books? They're a Canadian outfit.I didn't have an agent for them. They are open top new writers and have published a couple of British writers. Andy Tilley is one. You might look him up. Best of luck. Peter

HI Jennifer,
This is a terrific initiative as I've found it most difficult to secure an agent and get myself to a publisher's door. I also see that you are linked to Zoetrope. I myself met Coppola when I attended the redux presentation of APOCALYPSE NOW at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001 and am a movie script writer by profession (but also write novels and panel scripts for graphic novels).
ROGER COTTRELL

I've been a member of http://www.zoetrope.com since 2002.

They have private offices where writers can exchange advice about "How to Write a Query Letter" and "How to Find an Agent" and beyond.

Good to know there are other sources on-line as well.

Great idea! I had my first novel published in April 2008. It took 34 years, so I have a few experiences I can share. I am now repped by a legitimate NY agency for my next novel. Any support I can give to authos trying to avoid the career path I took, I would be most happy to help.

Cool, Bernadette! Thanks for posting.

Great group! I have written three mysteries and am busy on the fourth one. I am also starting an online course on scriptwriting in hopes of learning how to create film scripts, so count me in!

And me! I also write film scripts, and am working on stwo novels and some short stories. I also teach adult literacy and am hoping, with Roger to run some scriptwriting summer schools this year, so I hope I can both learn and help here as well.

This is great! It's exactly what I joined Goodreads to do and has taken me a couple of months to find this group. As a recently published novelist and movie script writer, who teaches film at a nearby college, I believe I can both learn from and contribute to this group.