Blazing the trail for new authors
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A TEACHER with a passion for books is helping to pioneer a new way of publishing.
Belinda Hunt spent six years working in Milton Keynes as director of studies and head of English at Bury Lawn School (now The Webber Independent).
Now, she and business partner Martin Godleman are celebrating a highly successful year after setting up web-based mardibooks.
The very eclectic set-up aims to publish and promote writers with talent who are finding it hard to break into the closed publishing world.
Time and expertise is provided free by mardibooks to talented and aspiring writers.
They receive advice, support, editing and proof-reading in order to hone their writing and prepare texts for publication as an ebook or print edition.
There are currently 30 contributory ‘mardiwriters’ and, during the past year, 14 title have become ebooks, with five in hard print.
Writers come from as far away as
Bulgaria and America, though most reside closer to home, in areas including Tring and Watford.
The pool of writing talent at mardibooks is diverse as the collective group of writers is truly global.
Writers engage with topics ranging from lifestyle to psychology, poetry, fiction, fantasy and beyond.
Mother-of-one Belinda said: “We know a lot of people who can write but they are frustrated because the publishing industry is a dinosaur and we thought: we can do better.”
Martin and Belinda remain focused on quality literature across a broad variety of genres.
Belinda has herself penned a book of poetry called ‘Windows and Doors’ and co-authored another title.
Meanwhile, writer, football commentator and academic Martin has written ‘We’re West Ham United, We Play On The Floor’.
Mardibooks is a self-fulfilling community so writers play an active role in marketing their own work and that of their fellow writers.
Describing the new publishing model, Belinda adds: “We aim to be a vibrant and exciting outlet for writers who have talent, but haven’t the time to deal with chasing up publishers and editors.”
Readers and writers can benefit from mardibooks.
Visit mardibooks.com for more information.
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Saturday 25 May 2013
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