London Writers' Club

18/08/2025

I am just arranging speakers for our autumn season of London Writers Club.

Generally what happens is we have an agent at the end of each month tell us what they're looking for, what they're desperate to find, and all the new projects they want to see.

And then I usually do a couple of events myself, like Q&As that are also available to members.

Last month we had Jon Curzon and he was fantastic from Artellus Limited.

He was a brilliant speaker, like really generous, really helpful.

And if you're a member, and you'd been on that call, you'd know that he said he's absolutely desperate for fiction right now.

And he feels there's a drought of fiction right now.

If you’re a member, you'd have already acted upon that last week.

It's really worth having a go that you can just, initially, you can just buy a ticket and experience the club or you can join and it's cheaper.

There's a link in the comments and if you want to meet agents and you really want to know about how to get your pitch ready, then join the club.

18/08/2025

Kate Adams didn't just publish books at Penguin.

She published phenomena.

Eckhart Tolle. TV tie-ins. Books that sold millions of copies and changed lives around the world.

When she joins me in Puglia this September, she's bringing decades of insights about what separates good nonfiction from bestselling nonfiction.

Kate knows how to spot the difference between a book idea that stays on the shelf and one that becomes a cultural moment.

She understands how to position wellness and personal development content for impact.

And she's mastered the art of working with authors who want to change the world through their books.

For nonfiction writers, this is your chance to learn directly from someone who's been in the room where bestsellers are born.

September in Italy. Small group. Direct access to Kate's expertise.

If you're writing health, wellness, business, or personal development content, this is the mentorship opportunity you've been waiting for.

LAST 2 SPACES AVAILABLE

Click on the link https://jacqburns.com/italy-retreat/ for more details.

15/08/2025

"The only thing better than writing is being part of a community that understands the journey."

London Writers' Club connects serious writers from around the world who share one goal: getting published.

Our global community spans continents but comes together online for monthly events with top literary agents, supportive discussions, and shared resources.

What makes our community special:

- A focus on traditional publishing paths and professional development
- Members at all stages of the writing journey providing perspective and encouragement
- A positive, constructive environment that celebrates progress
- Practical, industry-focused discussions that complement creative endeavors
- Connections that span genres, countries, and experience levels
- Regular opportunities to learn from both agents and fellow writers

What our community offers beyond agent access:

- Peer manuscript exchange opportunities
- Monthly writing accountability groups
- Celebration of member milestones and successes
- Industry news discussions and interpretation
- Genre-specific critique connections
- Supportive feedback on queries and synopses

Many members tell us that while they initially joined for the agent sessions, they stay for the community.

The relationships formed through shared goals and experiences become an invaluable part of the writing journey.

You don't need to be in London - join from anywhere and find your writing tribe!

Membership starts at £15/month with a FREE monthly event ticket (worth £20), access to our private community spaces, and exclusive industry discounts.

Ready to find your writing people?

Join today and connect with a global community that understands exactly what you're trying to achieve.

Join here https://f.mtr.cool/lzrtdhksxe

15/08/2025

When I wrote my book about writing novels, I wanted to tell you what not to do and what will waste your time.

Number one thing: obsessing about perfect prose - that's not the key to writing a bestseller.

In commercial fiction, it's about clarity, powerful characters, and understanding what your protagonist wants.

The other killer is paralysis - waiting for the original idea or inspiration before you start writing.

14/08/2025

Let's talk about fiction.

I bang on about premise all the time, but premise is probably more important for fiction, maybe is it more important for fiction?

Knowing what your premise is is really important when it comes to writing a novel.

And even a memoir when it's around your own life.

Like, what's your point?

What do you actually want to say?

What message do you want to leave people with, and I don't mean moral.

Although it can be tinged with a moral if that's what you want, but it's kind of like the moral of the story.

What's the learning from the story?

What does that story lead you to feel, believe, see by the end of the book?

And note that I say by the end of the book and what it leads you to feel, believe, and see about that story.

Because in your book, everything in there should be supporting what you want the reader to feel, believe, and understand by the end of the book.

Even if you aren't conscious of figuring out what your premise is, there will be a premise in there of sorts.

It just might be weak and indistinct, or it might waver and you might change what your premise is.

Knowing what your premise is means you have a very strong book.

13/08/2025

I don't talk about my book often, but I've been sharing the mistakes I made writing and marketing it.

What stalled me for so long was not refining what the book was actually about to the tiniest degree.

I thought I could just put everything I knew into it - one of the biggest mistakes I see writers make.

I got so blocked and frustrated I literally kicked a tree in the park (and went back to apologise).

12/08/2025

LAST 2 SPACES AVAILABLE

Three years.

That's how long most writers spend working on a single book when trying to do it alone, according to the Writers and Artists Yearbook.

Three years of starting and stopping. Three years of wondering if you're on the right track. Three years of trying to fit writing around everything else in your life.

It doesn't have to be that way.

I'm Jacq Burns, and after 30 years in publishing as a writer, bookseller, and literary agent, I've developed a better approach: 6 focused days that can save you years of struggle.

At my Writers Retreat in Puglia, you'll step away from daily distractions and immerse yourself in your book project with expert guidance at every stage.

Morning workshops address the fundamentals that trip up most writers: clarifying your idea, structuring your material effectively, and understanding your publishing options.

Afternoons give you time to write and implement what you've learned.

Evenings bring us together for Q&A sessions over drinks and dinner.

You'll leave with concrete progress on your manuscript and a clear roadmap for completion - the kind of clarity that can turn a three-year project into a finished book in months, not years.

Join me this September in beautiful Puglia, Italy, and fast-track your journey from concept to completion.

Click on the link https://f.mtr.cool/bdoptyqsvm for more details.

6 uninterrupted days of writing inspiration in a luxury Portugese villa hosted by literary agent Jacq Burns and ghostwriter Laura Gale.

12/08/2025

I'm the head judge for the Business Book Awards and have been doing that for about the past five years.

I am very excited because this morning I received the finalists.

The category judges for the business book awards have been busy reading all of the entries.

Every single entry has been read and judged.

And in this box here, what I have is the winners of each category.

And I'm going to sit and read these over the summer.

While you're having a great time on the beach, I'll be reading the category finalists, looking for the overall winner of the business book award 2025.

And then on September the 10th, there's an amazing ceremony out at Wembley Arena.

It's gorgeous out there and we have a great big dinner, black tie dinner and the winner will be announced.

If you're thinking about entering business book awards, it's worth coming along and having a look at the entries, meeting some of the authors, meeting judges.

I'm super excited to be reading this because a lot of work goes into these books, a lot of time, a lot of thought, a lot of effort.

The judging process is a real honour to be part of that and to find a book that's worthy of the business book award.

11/08/2025

I'm really excited - Kate Adams is joining me for a guest workshop at the Italy retreat in September.

She worked on incredible books at Penguin including Eckhart Tolle and huge TV tie-ins you'll recognize.

You'll have two nonfiction experts giving you one-to-one attention - practice your pitch directly on us.

Between us we've got probably 60 years of publishing experience but very different styles.

11/08/2025

When you're developing a book, getting feedback from just one perspective can limit your potential.

That's why I'm thrilled Kate Adams is joining me for our September Puglia retreat.

Between us, we represent 60 years of publishing experience - but more importantly, we bring completely different editorial styles and approaches.

I might see structural opportunities where Kate spots market positioning potential.

She might identify your unique voice whilst I focus on your platform strategy.

For n writers in health, wellness, business, and personal development, this dual expertise is invaluable.

You'll practise your pitch on both of us.

Get feedback from two different publishing perspectives.

Learn from our different approaches to the same challenges.

It's like having two mentors instead of one - and in the beautiful setting of Italian countryside.

If you're writing in the nonfiction space, this September retreat offers something unique you won't find elsewhere.

LAST 2 SPACES AVAILABLE

Click on the link https://jacqburns.com/italy-retreat/ for more details.

10/08/2025

A full moon meditation (in comments) from the fab author Danielle North, who I am fortunate enough to represent. Cover art is from out her illustrated book, Walking Meditations.

08/08/2025

The average agent gets thousands of submissions each year.

How will yours stand out?

London Writers' Club gives you the edge you need to skip past the slush pile.

Our monthly online events with top agents help you understand exactly what makes them stop, notice, and REQUEST your full manuscript.

The hard truth about submissions:

- Many agents receive 50-100 queries every week
- Most spend less than 2 minutes reviewing each submission
- Over 99% of submissions are rejected
- First impressions happen in seconds

But there's good news: When you understand exactly how agents evaluate submissions, you can significantly improve your chances of standing out.

During our monthly online sessions, agents candidly share:

- Their specific evaluation process from query to full manuscript
- What makes them stop and pay attention to a submission
- How they sort through their inbox and prioritize reading
- Common mistakes that lead to immediate rejection
- Formatting and presentation that makes your work look professional
- Query letter techniques that effectively communicate your book's appeal
- First page strategies that make them want to keep reading

This direct insight from the decision-makers themselves gives you a competitive edge in a crowded marketplace.

Members join from around the globe to learn these submission strategies.

No need to be in London - all events are accessible online with full recordings available afterward.

For £15/month, get a FREE ticket to each event (worth £20), plus recordings, exclusive Q&As, and industry discounts.

Many of our members report significant improvements in their response rates after applying the specific techniques learned in our sessions.

Don't let your manuscript get lost in the pile.

Join here https://f.mtr.cool/hqhgrnoaqi