Nick Hern Books To Publish AN ACTOR'S ALPHABET By Julie Hesmondhalgh

Leading theatre publishers Nick Hern Books will publish An Actor's Alphabet - an honest, and empowering look at the realities of life as an actor in today's industry, by award-winning TV and theatre star Julie Hesmondhalgh - on 17 November 2022.

An Actor's Alphabet draws on Hesmondhalgh's decades of experience on stage and screen - including in massively popular television shows such as Broadchurch, Happy Valley and Coronation Street, as well as theatre productions such as Wit, The Greatest Play in the History of the World and There Are No Beginnings - to lift the lid on what it's really like to be an actor today. The book offers practical advice on a range of topics such as preparing for roles; managing the ups and downs of an acting career; dealing with failure (and success), not constantly comparing yourself to others; looking after your mental health; and the power of knowing when to say 'no'.

Passionate about the arts, Hesmondhalgh makes a compelling case for their importance to society, but also calls out the industry on where it continues to fall short - including a clear-eyed assessment of what needs to change to make it safer and healthier, more accessible and inclusive.

An Actor's Alphabet will be published on 17 November in paperback, and is available to pre-order now at www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/an-actors-alphabet. It will also be released in ebook and as an audiobook, read by the author.

Julie Hesmondhalgh said:
'I am deeply chuffed and slightly embarrassed to be announcing that I've written a book! I know! Who the hell do I think I am?

'I feel I'm uniquely placed in the industry - in that I have all these years behind me because I am SO OLD, but also that I emerged from sixteen years on Corrie into a business that was in the midst of radical change, and have thrown myself into my second life as an actor with all the wide-eyed wonder of a recent graduate. I have learnt a ton of stuff thinking about and writing this book, and hope actors find something of use in it.'

Matt Applewhite, Nick Hern Books' Managing Director and Commissioning Editor, said:
'Julie's wisdom and experience; her deep compassion and her warmth; her impish wit and her fearless passion - all shine through every page of An Actor's Alphabet. It is a privilege to publish what is sure to become an essential modern classic amongst books by and for actors.'