Some Changes Are Afoot

So firstly, a huge thank you to those of you who have supported my bookshop journey this year. It has been filled with highs and lows, but it has been wonderful to share that journey with you.

You have supported me by a) buying books, and b) becoming a paid subscriber to this newsletter and c) if you have been unable to do either of these things, perhaps you have shared this newsletter or offered encouragement along the way.

To all of you, thank you. Don’t forget you can still keep ordering your Christmas books, send me a custom order here.

I don’t know what 2024 will have in store, will it be the year I get my bookshop? We shall have to see. I still have that one premises I have my eye on though I don’t know when, and indeed if, it will become available. Whatever happens, you will be the first to hear.

The job of a full-time writer is a very precarious way to make a living these days, costs have gone up for all of us. I have always been able to hold my nerve in these difficult financial times, but it is becoming increasingly concerning. So, I have decided that I need to focus my attention on my original substack annawharton.substack.com which is now renamed White Ink with Anna Wharton as a way of trying to bring some income in for my writing and wisdom (eep, more of that later).

It’s a pretty logo, right? It’s thanks to my friend Sam, who came up with The Book Room logo. (You can find her etsy shop here with more pretty things she’s created.)

I will be using my original substack to share more about writing both fiction and non-fiction, crafting book proposals, the skills required to be a ghostwriter, even how to open a pop-up bookshop, and more of my personal life writing. It just means I can branch out a bit. I am also publishing from there my Twelve Days of Christmas Writing Advice series which will focus on non-fiction this year and I have twelve amazing authors signed up and sending in their brilliant essays, as we speak!

But the big news is that I am launching my virtual Write with Me Club over on White Ink. This is a creative writing club hosted by me, a Sunday Times Bestselling, Orwell Prize longlisted author, once a month — and all for the price of a (slightly expensive) coffee.

Members of White Ink will be able to join me on zoom on the first Monday of every month from 7-8pm for guidance, accountability, writing exercises, and a chance to ask questions directly about their work in progress – you see this is where my wisdom comes in!

I will also be posting my Sunday round-ups and reviews over there for now, though I will also restack them here too, so this newsletter isn’t disappearing, it’s just slimming down a little after the new year until I have more news, so you don’t need to unsubscribe – it’s not au revoir, just à bientôt!

There will be a new section created within White Ink entitled The Book Room for people new to my online bookshop, and if you only want news on books for sale or review, or news about the shop eventually reopening, you can just click that section and you won’t receive my other writings. If you haven’t downloaded the Substack app, I recommend you do as honestly, it’s probably the nicest place on social media right now.

So, as I can only have one paid publication, I’m going to take the nerve-wracking step to turn off payments for this substack and those of your who are due a refund will receive one. I hope as many of you as possible will reinvest and come and be members over on White Ink.

I will transport you over there as free subscribers so you won’t miss The Book Room posts and hope you will make the choice to become members to have full access to my writing and archive and join my Write With Me Club.

What you will get over on White Ink for £5 a month (just £4.15/month if you go for the annual membership) is more me, more publishing industry experts, more writers, more books, more community, online meet-ups, my time, my words, my story and my eternal thanks.

You’ve been so loyal – I hope to see you there!

Anna x