Launch of Publishing for Success, 3rd edition
- Post by: Seán Corr
- 16th December 2022
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The launch of the third edition of the NIPR publication Publishing for Success: A Practical Guide by Anne Tannahill took place on Tuesday, 13th December in the McClay Library at Queen’s University, Belfast. NIPR Manager Seán Corr began by speaking about the history and work of NIPR in collecting, cataloguing and preserving everything published in Northern Ireland since January 2000. In her speech, NIPR Chairperson Louisa Costelloe provided more information on Publishing for Success: A Practical Guide and the need for a newly revised third edition. The idea for the book developed from a very successful seminar on good practice in publishing which was held in September 2006. NIPR was asked to provide more guidance and so it was decided to publish this guide.
The board was delighted when Anne Tannahill agreed to manage the project and write the body of the text. Anne was for many years managing director of Blackstaff Press, which has an international reputation for the quality of its publications. The services of award-winning designer Wendy Dunbar were also secured and the first edition of this guide was published in 2008. In order to ensure that the guide will reach as wide a readership as possible, NIPR resolved that it should be distributed freely to whomever might find it helpful. The guide has proved to be very popular with the writing, editing and publishing communities of Northern Ireland and a newly updated version was published in 2014.
As eight years have passed since that second edition of Publishing for Success, the publishing world has continued to evolve, and the NIPR board decided to commission a newly revised and updated third edition of the book.
The guest speaker at the launch was Lucy Beevor, writer and part of the team at creative writing charity Fighting Words NI. Lucy provided the audience with a fascinating insight into her own career, both before and after becoming a writer, and her work with Fighting Words NI.
Since 2015, Fighting Words NI has been a force for creativity in Belfast and beyond, providing over 14,000 creative writing opportunities for schools, youth groups and young writers aged 6 to 18. Fighting Words NI have delivered hundreds of free Storymaking Workshops, Write Club Meetings and special projects, all supported by their amazing volunteer mentors. Fighting Words NI wants to show every young person in Northern Ireland that creative writing is all about joy, imagination and creativity.
With the help of Fighting Words NI and the guidance of Publishing For Success: A Practical Guide, it is expected that NIPR will be kept busy preserving the literary heritage of Northern Ireland well into the future.
Copies of “Publishing for Success: A Practical Guide” are available at the Linen Hall Library or to download via the NIPR website: Publishing & Advice – NiBooks.org
NIPR would like to acknowledge the sponsorship from W&G Baird for this publication, along with the continued funding from the Department for Communities for the NIPR project and the assistance of our lead partner and hosts, the Linen Hall Library. Thank you to the McClay Library, Queen’s University, Belfast for hosting the launch and to the Hope Café for providing catering.
