How to Get A Great English Degree

Are you studying English at university either as your main degree or as a subsidiary subject? Are you finding it challenging? Is some of the reading very difficult? Are you struggling to write good essays? Are you uncertain about how to use references and sources? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then this lively, short guide to studying English at university could be what you’ve been looking for!

Written by an experienced teacher and university lecturer, this book covers all the basics you need to know to achieve highly on an English course at university. It discusses:
how to tackle difficult reading lists,
how to write brilliant essays,
how to analyse most literary texts including poetry,
how to get to grips with literary theory,
the texts you really need to know about, including a section on “The Bible” and the different literary eras;
the websites you really need to look at.

This book is ideal for students just starting their English degrees, or for someone seriously considering embarking upon one. Undergraduates in their second and third years should find it useful to help them double-check they’ve got the basics covered. The book contains a number of useful case studies based on real students’ experiences of doing English at university and is jammed packed with advice from students themselves who have overcome their difficulties.

Why did I set up FGI Publishing?

I have set up my own publishing company, FGI Publishing, because I want to promote books which are genuinely useful, informative and engaging. I began by publishing my own books but I am now branching out to publish other people. In the near future, I will be publishing Roger Titcombe’s Learning Matters, an essential guide to the inner-workings of our education system and how children learn. Roger’s book is packed full of important research into the ways in which the English education system has both failed and succeeded our pupils.

I aim to expand the remit of FGI Publishing in the future. I’m interested in looking at submissions which are well-written, original, imaginative and socially relevant, whether they are fiction, non-fiction, drama or poetry. I am not seeking to publish genre fiction at this moment in time, but if a writer feels they have invented a new genre then I may consider a proposal. At the moment, I am using Amazon’s CreateSpace platform to publish paperback books on, and using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing to publish e-books on Kindle: this means all FGI Publishing’s books are available on all Amazon websites across the world. However, I may use other platforms and printers to publish books in the future.

What do I offer writers that other publishers don’t?

First, I offer much more generous royalty rates than most publishers.

Second, I have good contacts in the media world and feel I can promote a book I believe in.

Third, I have quite a bit of experience of publishing my own books and so know the pitfalls regarding publishing books.

What is to stop me self-publishing my own book?

Nothing whatsoever! It’s never been easier! And if you’re interested in doing that, I would urge you to do so. However, I’ve found that some people like to work with someone else who believes in their book, and also feel that they lack the technical expertise or the time and energy needed to self-publish.