I’ve read many handbooks on writing over the years, acquiring them off Amazon, AbeBooks and eBay—usually for a few pounds.

I’ve had my eye on Harry Bingham’s The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook Guide to Getting Published, for a while, putting a watch on it as all the copies advertised were at least £13.

I read somewhere that placing an item into your shopping basket, then leaving it there, could have benefits with the seller offering the would-be buyer a discount to make the sale. Sure enough, after placing a copy of the publishing guide in my basket for two weeks, I received an email notification that the last copy had been reduced to £2.59 with free postage and packing.

I made it mine, saving about £10.

Incidentally, Harry Bingham is a thriller writer, who after realising that debut authors were having problems securing an agent and publisher for their first book, established an advice site he called Writers’ Workshop which also offered editorial services. It was recently rebranded as Jericho Writers.

He’s made many useful videos, which are on YouTube.