On Reading and Writing

Some fascinating stories on book publishing have found their way to me via my Twitter feed.

1. Julie Barer represents Helen Simonsen, the author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, a book I loved and suggest you place at the top of your summer reading list. She says, 'It's unrealistic to expect that you can support yourself solely as a writer in this economy.'

2. Andrew Wylie represents everyone else. He says, 'I'm not interested in mass culture. When I started out I saw nine out of 10 people heading for the door marked Money, Commerce, Trash. So I chose the door marked Quality. Interest. Significance…'

3. Miguel Syjuco, author of Illustrado, was rejected by dozens of agents and publishers before his book won the Man Asia Literary Prize in 2009. He used to support himself by buying designer purses at sample sales and selling them on eBay. He also rented himself out as a medical guinea pig in psychological experiments.

4. Author Hanif Kureishi has this to say about new writing from India: 'It has run out of inspiration now. There’s a lot of pretty girls who go to American universities and write about their mums and dads. I think the whole thing has become really boring now. And I think we are beginning to look at Russia and Africa and China for new writing.'

5. And lastly, the writer Omair Ahmad pokes some gentle fun at our obsession with literary festivals.