EDITORIAL

Book of the year

THERE'S a strand of urgency running through this issue of Mslexia: a sense of time being seized with both hands. Monica Ali closed the curtains in the middle of a family holiday and handed her weans over to her husband when she decided to commit to her writing (p15). Trezza Azzopardi gave up her job, house, lover, dog, when she took that decision (p24).

For both authors it was a decision that couldn’t wait. But not all of us are able to set aside parts of our lives so readily. So if you’re contemplating 2005 with a sinking heart, Bekki Hill points out that writing for just one hour a day for 365 days adds up to the equivalent of 13 working weeks – a quarter of a year (p19).

But what will you write? We asked six literary agents to gaze into their crystal balls and predict the publishing trends of the future (p12). Their answers spell good news for authors with real knowledge and authentic experience. Book-buyers, it seems, are tired of fluff and froth. They want solid expertise, true facts, profound insights.

If the thought of tackling a whole book seems too daunting, why not enter our Poetry Competition (see back cover)? Because if there’s one trend that’s undisputed, it is that women’s voices will be increasingly heard in the poetry world. Will it make a difference? Do women write different poetry to men? We decided to find out, with the help of 200 men and women poets – and a motley selection of judges. The results, on page 22, may surprise you.
Debbie Taylor
Editor