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Dealing with rejection in the publishing industry
Rejection. A horrible word that nobody wants to face, but one which those of us in the publishing industry encounter regularly.
At times, rejections will float into your inbox in a quiet email, often disguised in polite words, but that doesn’t stop the sting; at other times, they’ll be lost in radio silence. Both kinds damage your confidence and leave you questioning everything, but I’ve learned that rejection isn’t a reflection of a writer’s work.
Rhian MacGillivray
Dec 17, 20255 min read


How to be a good beta reader or critique partner
Today, I thought I would outline how you can be a good beta reader or critique partner for others. This post will set out some tips you can bear in mind when beta reading and offering feedback to a writer on their manuscript.
Rhian MacGillivray
Nov 28, 20255 min read


Why beta readers are important, and where to find them
In today’s blog post, I thought I’d talk about beta readers and their importance in helping writers improve their craft. I’ve worked with beta readers in the past, but more recently I’ve found myself a wonderful group of beta readers. We chat daily on a Discord server and we swap manuscripts and feedback continuously, with a monthly video call to talk about our work, feedback and brainstorm.
Rhian MacGillivray
Nov 18, 20256 min read


Striking a work-life-writing balance
It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post, thanks to a very busy August, and so it’s with a hint of irony that I’ve decided to write about managing writing goals with a busy schedule.
Rhian MacGillivray
Sep 16, 20254 min read


The metadata paragraph in a query letter
What is a metadata paragraph? And why do you need one in a query letter? What should it include? This post takes a closer look.
Rhian MacGillivray
Jul 28, 20255 min read


I’m a Junior Literary Agent at Birch Literary!
I've joined Birch Literary as a Junior Literary Agent. Read about how it happened, and what lies ahead.
Rhian MacGillivray
Jul 21, 20253 min read


My writing process – how I outline a book
This post covers my planning process and everything I do before I start writing a single word of the story.
Rhian MacGillivray
Jun 27, 20257 min read


My most helpful writing craft books
Welcome to a new series of writing tips and insights, starting with my favourite writing craft books
Rhian MacGillivray
Jun 18, 20258 min read


Publication Day - The Cards We're Dealt
Today is the day! The Cards We’re Dealt is officially published. Mark, Josh and Sadie Turner are out in the world, so make sure you get your copy.
Rhian MacGillivray
May 27, 20253 min read
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