Swallowed by a Whale

Writing Advice from Authors of Note

$29.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

British Library
01 December 2025

Language: reference & general; Creative writing & creative writing guides

In this specially commissioned anthology, 60 accomplished authors share secrets and insights into their writing lives: on their inspirations, methods, wild ideas and daily routines; on the pleasure and the pain in achieving their literary goals; on how they started out and how they hope to continue. They outline some golden rules for staying on track and talk candidly about what goes wrong as well as right.

Emerging talents sit alongside much-loved authors whose books have sold in their millions. Each reflects in their own way on the creative process and the compulsion to write. How to find inspiration? How to get the words right? How to cope with writer's block? And where do the good ideas really come from?

Includes contributions from Cressida Cowell, Matt Haig, Joanne Harris, David Mitchell, Jan Morris, Onjali Q Raf, Michael Rosen, Irvine Welsh, Tracy Chevalier, Thomas Keneally, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Tom Gauld and Benjamin Myers.

Imprint: British Library
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 200mm, Width: 130mm,
ISBN: 9780712355544
ISBN 10: 0712355545
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 01 December 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Huw Lewis-Jones is an author, teacher, naturalist and polar expedition leader whose work has been published in many languages. His past books include Ocean Portraits, In Search of the South Pole, The Conquest of Everest and Explorers' Sketchbooks. His most recent edited collections are the acclaimed and bestselling The Writer's Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands.