The Palaver in Publishing
By this time next year, I should have a copy of my first
published book sitting on my bookcase. I can tell you right now
that it won't sell huge numbers of copies and I'm going to have
to roll up my sleeves and do a lot of the marketing myself but I
can honestly say that I don't mind one jot.
The Bother in Burmeon started life back in 2006. I was writing a biography of my dad for friends and family and thought what a shame it was that my young son had never got to meet his grandfather. And that was where the idea for the book came from, along with a James Bond-esque early 1960s world of heroes, villains, exotic locations and derring-do.
I still have the first version of the story that I sent off to the WW in 2007. One of these days, if I have the guts, I'll post the first chapter alongside the final version and then run away to hide my head in shame. All credit to John Dougherty at WW for recognising that somewhere, beneath all the dreary description and social commentary (for 9 year-olds? what was I thinking of?), a good adventure story was lurking and trying to break out.
I'll skim over the various critiques and my attempts to find an agent, only to say that I learned a lot and it was probably only through this often painful process that my story became polished enough to win a competition and a publishing contract from a small press.
I've just got the third (?) version of my ms since April back from my publisher. She is a an absolute delight to work with and loves my story, which means so much to me. From her, via her contacts in loftier echelons of publishing, I've learned what kind of changes I would have had to have made to satisfy a mainstream publisher's commercial needs - and I don't think I could have done it.
The Bother in Burmeon really isn't being a bother at all at the moment, and the title of this blog is tongue-in-cheek. I only wish there were a few more hours in the day to get started on the website, make more contacts, spread the word and get on with the next one!
The Bother in Burmeon started life back in 2006. I was writing a biography of my dad for friends and family and thought what a shame it was that my young son had never got to meet his grandfather. And that was where the idea for the book came from, along with a James Bond-esque early 1960s world of heroes, villains, exotic locations and derring-do.
I still have the first version of the story that I sent off to the WW in 2007. One of these days, if I have the guts, I'll post the first chapter alongside the final version and then run away to hide my head in shame. All credit to John Dougherty at WW for recognising that somewhere, beneath all the dreary description and social commentary (for 9 year-olds? what was I thinking of?), a good adventure story was lurking and trying to break out.
I'll skim over the various critiques and my attempts to find an agent, only to say that I learned a lot and it was probably only through this often painful process that my story became polished enough to win a competition and a publishing contract from a small press.
I've just got the third (?) version of my ms since April back from my publisher. She is a an absolute delight to work with and loves my story, which means so much to me. From her, via her contacts in loftier echelons of publishing, I've learned what kind of changes I would have had to have made to satisfy a mainstream publisher's commercial needs - and I don't think I could have done it.
The Bother in Burmeon really isn't being a bother at all at the moment, and the title of this blog is tongue-in-cheek. I only wish there were a few more hours in the day to get started on the website, make more contacts, spread the word and get on with the next one!
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26 Comments
I'm sure we'll all get behind any promo work you do in the meantime. However, I've a feeling that you may not need to worry over much once word of mouth about your writing gets going.
BTW My first draft brings on the most abject cringeing. However, as Clouders would say: 'without the first there's no second and without the second etc.
To try and answer your question, stephen, I can only speak for my story, which is aimed at boys aged 9-12. The main gist of the feedback is that it's old-fashioned (I can take that, it's deliberate - it's set in 1962) and that kids these days have short attention spans. So, I should probably start the story with my MC already in 1962 in the midst of his adventure and show how he got there later. Plus make it more pacey, shorter sentences, less description, give it a snappier title.
Instead, the book follows a more traditional chronological structure where it starts with the MC in the present day and follows him going back in time. It's also written in a style that's reminiscent of adventure stories from the mid 20th C. One person's old-fashioned is the next one's retro, although it's probably not relevant for the readers - they just want a good story, well-told.
Finally, although I've been very, very careful, I can't get away from the fact that the setting is an ex-British colony, even if it is fictional.
Axx
The 1960s don't seem like ancient history to me so I can cheer you on with all of my heart. Best wishes in all you do. xx
Tony - getting the current book up and running and all the associated marketing is my main priority at the moment (apart from the job thing I do that I sort of forget about...). I can't really get stuck into writing anything else at the moment, mainly due to lack of time, but I do have two other projects sort of on the go...
mike - I've also noticed a lot of books about both World Wars - Michael Morpurgo has written books for various age groups and I've also seen a new series by Robert Muchamore. It was my idea to write about a time that's still in living memory and maybe to get children talking with their grandparents and great grandparents about how life was in those days.
I think we had similar issues in our writing for children - my historical novel was seen as a good story but the children need more action sooner.
The promotion sounds like hard work too. Time consuming.
Good luck.
Geri - the rate that publishing moves, I don't think anything can be belated!
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