Paul Carroll 
Written Off 

With more people writing books them reading them, who’d be an author? Four disparate, aspiring authors dream of getting their work published. As they strive for a breakthrough they are unaware that, in the world of traditional publishing, editors, agents and authors have enough problems of their own. The odds are stacked against success on both sides of the fence. The only person who seems to be doing well out of the writing game is the owner of The Write Stuff, a company selling 'how to get published’ help to would-be authors. Inevitably, all roads eventually lead to The Write Stuff’s annual weekend writing conference.As the wannabe wordsmiths attempt to scramble on the up escalator to literary stardom, will they notice the tragic author of many years passing them in the other direction? As the conference builds to an explosive climax, who s going to start a new chapter in their life and who s going to remain stuck on page one? Written Off is a tale with a surprising payoff: in the midst of all the humour there are also more genuine tips on how to achieve literary success woven into the story than can be found in many text books and courses. Wickedly funny, Written Off will particularly appeal to both aspiring and established authors who have been left jaded by their dealings with the publishing industry (not to mention the long-suffering partners who are forced to tend to writer s paranoia on a daily basis).