What does it actually take to publish a non-fiction book today?
By Imogen Short
That was the question explored in our recent WiPS panel, Publishing Non-Fiction: From Idea to Book Deal.
Bringing together perspectives from literary agent Marysia Juszczakiewicz, author and entrepreneur Veronica Llorca-Smith, and psychologist and author Dr Bee Lim, the discussion explored the realities behind the publishing process, from shaping an idea and securing a publishing deal through to building readership and creating opportunities beyond the book itself.
One of the most valuable aspects of the conversation was hearing how different author journeys can be.
There’s no single route to publication. Traditional publishing, hybrid models and self-publishing each offer different opportunities, challenges and trade-offs.
Understanding those choices starts with understanding what you want your book to achieve.
For some authors, a book is primarily about building credibility in their field. For others, it supports a business, a speaking career, an advocacy mission, or a wider body of work. The clearer you are on the role your book is intended to play, the easier it becomes to make decisions about publishing, positioning and promotion.
The discussion also highlighted how much the publishing landscape has evolved.
Authors today are increasingly expected to think about audience, platform, visibility and long-term engagement alongside the craft of writing itself. Veronica spoke about bringing an entrepreneurial mindset to authorship, while Marysia emphasized the importance of commercial viability and understanding what readers are looking for.
The conversation also served as a reminder that publication is often the beginning rather than the end of the journey. Books can open doors to speaking opportunities, professional visibility, community building and new forms of impact, but those opportunities are rarely automatic. Authors play an increasingly active role in creating them.
Thank you to our panellists for sharing their experience so openly, and to everyone who joined us for such thoughtful questions and discussion.
At WiPS, we’re committed to creating opportunities for learning, connection and professional development across the publishing community, and we look forward to continuing the conversation at future events.
WiPS thanks committee member Imogen Short for masterly moderating the dialogue and for bringing her own publishing experience to the conversation.
A Fine and Very Special Book Club
By Holly Sykes
At a special in-person Book Club event, WiPS members were delighted to welcome Hong Kong-born author Katy Phoon for a discussion of her novel A Fine Piece of Jade. Gathering at Salon 10 on Arbuthnot Road, an intimate setting reminiscent of a literary salon with its velvet armchairs and striking wall murals, we relaxed with a glass of wine while Katy treated us to a bonus chapter of her novel, which honours her late mother’s wish to share her life story.
Inspired by her mother’s experiences growing up in Wuhan during the Japanese invasion and rise of communist China, Katy’s story centres on the friendship forged between two young girls, Wang Qi and Yuanyuan. Interwoven with traditional Chinese mythological tales, it follows the girls as they navigate schoolyard bullying, personal loss and the challenges of living under a hostile occupation.
During the talk, Katy reflected on the balance between authenticity and storytelling, explaining that while she sought to remain as true as possible to her mother’s life, certain elements were necessarily fictionalized in order to shape the narrative.
Later, Katy answered questions from the floor (as well as from those joining via Zoom) and asked a few of her own: Which character did we most identify with? Which scenes were most memorable? In this way, the evening truly felt like a Book Club discussion, only with the added bonus of having the author amongst us.
It was a delightful evening which extended well beyond the usual Book Club hour. The conversation continued as we ordered more drinks, whilst Katy generously signed books and posed for photos.
After many years of hosting Book Club, started in the early days of Covid, this event marked Gillian Kew’s swansong. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Gillian for her outstanding contribution to WiPS and its members. What a wonderful note on which to take her leave!
IMPRINT 24: A literary launch to remember
By Joyce Yung
The Imprint 24 launch at the FCC, held during the Hong Kong International Literary Festival week, was a lively, well-attended and memorable evening. As a new member of WiPS, I’ve enjoyed the vibrant online community, but this event gave me the chance to experience its warmth and energy in person and meet fellow members face to face.
From the start, the atmosphere was welcoming. Polly Yu greeted attendees with her trademark pzazz; and the Lion Rock Press goodie bag — with its copies of Imprint 24 and inspired sponsor items — added a festive touch, along with the anticipation of the lucky draw.
Carol Dyer, editor of Imprint 24, opened with thoughtful remarks on the importance of the publication and its stories, and gave thanks to contributors and to Pamela Williams for her striking cover illustration. We were then honoured with an address from Emma Pei Yin, the Australian-Chinese author of When Sleeping Women Wake, who spoke with candour and inspiration about her writing journey.
The evening was guided by dynamic MCs Grace Chan and Imogen Short, who took to the stage, adding their energy and humour to the occasion. Their announcement of the official launch of the anthology was met with enthusiastic applause.
Guests enjoyed a variety of delectable food options and drinks throughout the evening that complemented the celebratory ambiance and made for a truly enjoyable experience.
The programme included eight well-delivered readings from the anthology (by Ritu Hemnani, Candice Turnquest, Maureen Tai, Sadie Kaye, Deborah Mannas, Gillian Kew, Jenny Chang and Jane Houng [reading for Ruth Henderson]) showcasing the diversity of voices within the publication. A light-hearted literary quiz during the intermission added fun and friendly competition, before the rest of the readings resumed.
The night concluded with the lucky draw, generously supported by sponsors, which delighted many winners and rounded off the event on a high note.
The Imprint 24 launch was more than a book celebration — it was a gathering of community, creativity and shared enthusiasm. I left feeling inspired, connected and grateful to be part of this unique society. Thank you to everyone involved for making this event not only successful but also a remarkable experience for all attendees!
2025 WiPS Year End Dinner
By Grace Chan
As we close out 2025, my first WiPS festive dinner represented many firsts for me.
My first time meeting WiPS friends who I had known only through Zoom. We shared stories of everything – from personal writing wins and challenges, to paper versus Kindle, to faraway travel adventures, to the secret to making butter thick and creamy.
“Lovely to finally put faces to the names I see so often! Glad I made it back from Melbourne just in time to meet these amazing people.” – Erin Chung
My first time having pink butter. It was like having a scoop of strawberry ice cream on my bread plate but without the sugar. I should’ve exercised better self-control because the food kept coming – Caesar brussels sprouts, Heirloom carrots, Vodka nduja cavatelli, and more. Well done, Crushed Wines. I’m definitely coming back.
“It was so fun to share the joy of literature, the joy of food, and most of all, to learn from all the warm and passionate people around me.” – Lani Chan
My first time participating in a Book Exchange, orchestrated by Gentle Books. Once you pick out a book from The Bag, you could either keep it or force-exchange with (i.e., steal from!) someone else. This started with lots of courtesy and no steals…until one inciter (will not name) decided to shake things up – sparking strategy and laughter in the room.
“Despite the ruthless book stealing, we all managed to walk out of there with two books that we’re pretty excited about.” – Rinkoo Ramchandani
Poetry Evening with Nia Broomhall
by Shikha Bansal
Nia Broomhall is an award-winning poet and holds an MA with distinction in Creative Writing from Lancaster University. She is Poet in Residence at Painshill Park in Cobham and won the 2023 Mslexia Women’s Poetry Pamphlet Competition for her debut pamphlet Backalong, published by Bloodaxe Books in September 2024.
In her two-hour workshop on 11 November, attended on Zoom by an intimate gathering of passionate poets and expertly moderated by Holly Sykes, Nia introduced WiPS members and guests to evocative and beautifully crafted poems and writing prompts to get the group started. She managed to give us a sense of safety and create an atmosphere of ease wherein we could express ourselves freely and share our first formed words without fear of judgement or censure.
It was a treat to spend an evening with like-minded writers reading, writing and discussing poetry, and leaving the workshop with several pieces of poetry in draft. It is not very often we get a chance to indulge in an evening of poetry and attempt to articulate that which is often times inexpressible. In the words of Robert Frost, “A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness.” Nia Broomhall helped us draw out from our individual wells of experiences and do just that. It was a perfect way to end a week day and we are grateful to Nia for her compassionate leadership.
Manuscript to Market: Write Local Sell Global
By Jenette del Mundo
This highly engaging talk by Jo Lusby, former CEO of Penguin Random House-North Asia, moderated by WiPS member Sophia Hotung, provided a wealth of advice and useful tips. Jo currently represents IP rights in Asia for specific titles and serves as an author’s agent for narrative non-fiction work, and more recently sci-fi. She gave us an understanding of the workings of the publishing industry, including the importance of finding a literary agent, leveraging the power of social media and being authentic to stand out in what has become a vastly crowded world, especially since AI’s appearance.
The publishing industry in Hong Kong is small compared with Singapore and Beijing’s, and while Blacksmith Books and Earnshaw publish books in English, their annual output from the deluge of submissions they receive is limited. An alternative is vanity publishing: a form of self-publishing through companies like IngramSpark who get a lot of the groundwork done for you, such as editing, layout, book cover design and distribution. Although this comes with a price, a closer understanding and cost-benefit review may prove its worth. Vanity publishing has produced many success stories. KDP Kindle from Amazon is another option, but lately it has suffered a heavy backlash because of misleading AI-generated information and stories.
Finding a literary agent makes sense, but know that agents have no financial obligation to sell your books. They will sell what they can and help you connect to the right publisher and editor, but the process of finalizing and sending proposals to authors is lengthy. Check your local bookstore for agents. “Search for similar genre books written preferably by lesser-known authors,” says Jo, “and take note of agents’ names and details.” Literary festivals are another source where publishers and agents gather looking for talented authors. Jaipur and Singapore are good festivals to learn and network from.
To increase your chances of getting published be authentic, sell where you feel relevant, be discoverable, build your following and look further afield if local resources are lacking.
The talk ended with a Q&A and a huge thank you to both Jo and Sophia.