YouWriteOn is delighted to announce, and would like to extend our congratulations to member Doug Jackson, whose site story ‘The Emperor’s Elephant’ will be published in a six figure 2 book deal with a major UK publisher. Doug developed his story on YouWriteOn with the help of feedback from fellow members, and was rated into the YouWriteOn Top 5 by them. Each month on YouWriteOn the top five rated writers receive free professional critiques from editors for leading literary agents and publishers, and we referred Doug for his free professional critique to Sara O’Keefe, senior editor for Orion books. Orion publish writers such as Ian Rankin, Michael Palin and Elmore Leonard. Sara advised Doug on development of his story using her indepth knowledge of the story genre of action-adventure and historical fiction. Doug then developed his story, using Sara’s advice and his other feedback. The result was that major publishers bid for Doug’s book, including Orion, with the world rights eventually going to Transworld Books, publisher of bestselling authors such as Bill Bryson, Andy McNab, and Jilly Cooper. Doug’s first book will now be published in the spring of 2008. 

Click here to view Opening Chapters of Doug’s book The Emperor’s Elephant 

YouWriteOn is thrilled for Doug, and we and Doug would like to thank fellow members who helped Doug to achieve his success. We hope Doug’s story will inspire other members, and his achievement shows how a community of writers and feedback can help writers successfully develop. This is not just achieved through writers reading reviews for their own stories, but reviewing constructively and thinking about what works well and what needs developing in other members stories.

Doug sent YouWriteOn and fellow members the following message:

"I'd just like to say thanks again for the amazing job you've done at Youwriteon.com. The feedback, positive and negative, from members helped me immensely. The positive gave me confidence in my ability as a writer and encouraged me to keep going. The negative showed me how to use constructive criticism to improve what I'd written and strengthened my resolve to make it work.

The professional critique I received from Sara O'Keeffe at Orion gave me the breakthrough I needed, and Sara herself was extremely helpful and encouraging. It was her interest in my writing that convinced Mark Stanton, my agent to sign me up and things happened incredibly quickly after that.

I hope my success in finding a publisher will encourage everyone at Youwriteon to keep working towards their dream. There are much better writers than me on the site and I'm certain I won't be the last success you have to report.

I'd also like to make a personal thank you to you for your support and encouragement. I'll always be grateful for all the help you've given me. 

All the best, 

Doug

PS I still struggle to get the time to join in the message boards, so I plan to put my e-mail address on my personal page for anyone who wants to get in touch  “

YouWriteOn is still a young site, having begun in 2006. A number of our first Book of the Year Award winners and finalists for 2007 are now represented by leading leading literary agents. The first place adult fiction, The Africa Reich by Guy Saville, is being represented by Curtis Brown. The second place children’s story, Sharpshooter by S Star, is being represented by literary agent Conville and Walsh, and the writer is currently developing the story further with their help. The Third Pig Detective Agency by member Bob Burke,  one of our other inaugural Book of the Year Award winners in the children's fiction category, has been acquired by for publication in Autumn 2008. Scott Pack, former head buyer of the UK's largest bookshop chain Waterstones, commented,  "All of us at The Friday Project loved Bob's book the moment we saw it. He is an extremely funny writer and Harry Pigg is a wonderful character who we hope to see for many more books to come. Imagine Hans Christian Andersen rewritten by Raymond Chandler." Other winners, finalists and members are also developing their stories and have received interest after referral to our affiliated leading literary agents, including The Christopher Little Agency. We refer highly rated stories each month - Join YouWriteOn.com for free

View all highly rated writers in the YouWriteOn Best Sellers Chart and YouWriteOn Top Ten Chart.