Manchester, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/21/2015 -- Jamaican born writer, Marlon James, has won the 2015 Man Booker prize with his novel A Brief History of Seven Killings published by Oneworld.

This is the second year that the prize has been open to authors of any nationality. The only restriction is that the work is to be written in English and published in the UK.

The judges were taken by surprise with James' book as it's a piece that is full of violence and swearing. But, it's also peppered with humour which brings humanity to the story. The panel was unanimous in its decision.

'Shocked and amazed' that he won, James joins the acclaimed list of Man Booker prize winners which include literary giants such as Salman Rushdie, Margret Atwood and Iris Murdock. As well as having his profile raised by this win, his name will feature on the Royal Mail postmark for four days following the prize giving.

Now living in Minneapolis, most of James' literary sensibility was formed in Jamaica. In an interview with the BBC James said, "Jamaican music and lyrics in particular was the first to convince me that the voice that I spoke normally, the voice of the market, the voice that came out of our own mouths was fine enough to tell serious literature. And Reggae taught me that." It's no surprise then that the book was inspired by the attempted murder of Bob Marley in 1976.

If you love writing and would like to find your voice to write a novel then there's plenty of help available. The Writers Bureau offer a range of home-study Creative Writing Courses where your writing is assessed by a professional, published writer.

Susie Busby, Principal of The Writers Bureau said, "Congratulation to Marlon James on his win. I find his comments about writing in his voice most interesting and inspiring. This is one of the ways we help our students. Many have commented on how working with their tutor has helped them to build confidence in their writing and find their unique voice. When an author writes in their own voice this lends authenticity to their writing and helps them to stand out."

For more information about the courses run by The Writers Bureau, you can visit their website here www.writersbureau.com or call them on 0161 819 9922

Media Contact:
Susie Busby
The Writers Bureau, 8-10 Dutton Street, Manchester, M3 1LE, England
Tel: 0161 819 9922
Email: studentservices@writersbureau.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Manchester, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/22/2015 -- Tom McCarthy and Sunjeev Sahota are two British novelists to make it to the final six in the shortlist for the Man Booker Prize this year. The list comes through with a diversity of authors from different backgrounds, all at different times in their career.

Last year's winner Richard Flanagan, with The Narrow Road to the Deep North, unfortunately didn't make the cut this time. Another shock was American author Marilynne Robinson who was seen as a strong contender with her latest novel, Lila, but didn't feature in this year's shortlist.

McCarthy's book Satin Island shows a reflection of the world today, narrated by U, an anthropologist trying to piece together the meaning of the modern age. Sahota's novel outlines the story of Indian migrants living in Sheffield.

Joining McCarthy and Sahota on the shortlist are two US authors, Anne Tyler with her 20th and final novel, A Spool of Blue Thread. Her novel presents the story of four generations of the Whitshank family.

Hanya Yanagihara also made the final six with A Little Life, a story of four friends living in New York, one of which is affected by the abuse from his childhood.

A Nigerian writer Chogozie Obioma was chosen for The Fisherman, a tale of brothers who go fishing and chance upon a madman, who informs them the eldest brother will be killed by one of the younger two.

Finally Jamaican author Marlon James with A Brief History of Seven Killings, a representation of gang violence in Jamaica and the attempted assassination of Bob Marley.

These stories have all derived from different points in history, relating to different events and even mental illness. The sheer diversity in the final six is something to be celebrated. To write stories that are recognised by The Man Booker Prize can takes years of hard work.

If your end goal is to receive an award like the one McCarthy and Sahota are in the running for, it may be worth investing your time in a writing course, which can cater for all kinds of writing you could possibly think of.

The Writers Bureau offers courses which you can complete with the help of professional writers as tutors.

Principal of the Bureau, Susie Busby said:

"Training like ours will certainly help someone to develop as a writer. Not only do we show people the nuts and bolts of writing – how to layout a manuscript, contact editors etc. – we also help to build confidence, develop style and find the student's voice so that their writing stands out.

It's great to see such an eclectic mix of titles, from authors in different countries, being shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. It just goes to show that excellence has no borders. As a distance learning college we are working with students from every corner of the globe so it's heartening to see writers from different cultures and countries being celebrated in this prestigious award."

Media Contact:
PR Contact: Susie Busby
The Writers Bureau
8-10 Dutton Street
Manchester M3 1LE
England
Tel: 0161 819 9922
Email:studentservices@writersbureau.com
Url: http://www.writersbureau.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm