The craft and industry of writing: This is a book about writing and being published. It has been written in two entertaining sections that will be of interest to all aspiring writers. It starts with a dispatch from the front lines of writing. It is a personal account of Patrick Semple's inspiration for writing and where his determination to have his work published has taken him. It is a 'warts and all' account. It describes the frustration and patience; despair and perseverance; mistakes and learning that an author can go through on the way to being published. The second section is Patrick's distillation of the principles of the craft of writing. This is based on the creative writing he teaches at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. It contains important advice and invaluable insights from an experienced and successful writing mentor. The book's message is that while being published requires you to have a working knowledge of the craft of writing you also need a realistic appreciation of the industry and how to negotiate its slings and arrows with good humour.
