I’ve just finished writing the first draft of my new book for children in The Wishing Girls series. It doesn’t have an official title yet, but I’m calling it Mollie after the main character.
It’s a book that I really wanted to write, and luckily my agent and editor were keen on it too. But sadly this isn’t always the case in the publishing world. Sometimes you may be gently nudged (or blatantly asked) to write a book that is outside your comfort zone.
Depending on the market you may be asked to consider trying a vampire romance, issue based romance/popular fiction (think Jojo Moyes or Sinead Moriarty), ‘mummy porn’, a misery memoir . . . And even though your heart may not be in it, you might be tempted to give it a go. And if you do, and you can make it work, and even enjoy the experience then good on you. And let’s be honest here, maybe you really need the money and that can be a strong enough motivation in itself – many fine authors have written to pay the bills, nothing wrong with that.
But my honest opinion is this – life is too short to …
I’ve just finished writing the first draft of my new book for children in The Wishing Girls series. It doesn’t have an official title yet, but I’m calling it Mollie after the main character.
It’s a book that I really wanted to write, and luckily my agent and editor were keen on it too. But sadly this isn’t always the case in the publishing world. Sometimes you may be gently nudged (or blatantly asked) to write a book that is outside your comfort zone.
Depending on the market you may be asked to consider trying a vampire romance, issue based romance/popular fiction (think Jojo Moyes or Sinead Moriarty), ‘mummy porn’, a misery memoir . . . And even though your heart may not be in it, you might be tempted to give it a go. And if you do, and you can make it work, and even enjoy the experience then good on you. And let’s be honest here, maybe you really need the money and that can be a strong enough motivation in itself – many fine authors have written to pay the bills, nothing wrong with that.
But my honest opinion is this – life is too short to spend months/a year/years of your life on something that doesn’t make your heart sing. And by the time your book hits the shelves, the market may have changed.
Every book has its difficult scenes. No book is easy to write. But it’s hell of a lot easier if you actually adore the book you’re working on. If you love (or detest) the characters with a passion, if you think about the plot every waking moment of the day, if you can’t get the damn thing out of your mind, if you’re itching to get back to your desk every day to continue telling the story.
Write the book that YOU to write. If you put enough passion and enthusiasm into your writing, if you write the book your heart begs you to write, it will work. And it will get published. It’s as simple (or as difficult) as that.
Yours in writing,
Sarah XXX
- Martina Reilly
To plot or not to plot? That is an interesting question. Over the years I have realised that it very much depends on what type of person you are.
If you are a planner – if you pack days before going away, if you know exactly where your passport is before travelling, then you’re a planner and you may need to plan your book.
If you pack the hour before leaving for the airport, if you hate planning anything weeks or months before it happens, than you’d probably think planning would kill your book’s spontaneity. And for you it might do just that.
So if you’re a planner like me – you need to plan. I’ve also interviewed a writer who is not a planner – the wonderful Martina Reilly – so you have both views.
So first, Martina’s answers:
Martina, how much planning do you do before starting a book?
I do no planning at all. I tend to get an idea of what I’d like to explore. In my next book ‘What If’ I had a few things I wanted to write about. The first, a moment where a life is changed forever (a …
- Martina Reilly
To plot or not to plot? That is an interesting question. Over the years I have realised that it very much depends on what type of person you are.
If you are a planner – if you pack days before going away, if you know exactly where your passport is before travelling, then you’re a planner and you may need to plan your book.
If you pack the hour before leaving for the airport, if you hate planning anything weeks or months before it happens, than you’d probably think planning would kill your book’s spontaneity. And for you it might do just that.
So if you’re a planner like me – you need to plan. I’ve also interviewed a writer who is not a planner – the wonderful Martina Reilly – so you have both views.
So first, Martina’s answers:
Martina, how much planning do you do before starting a book?
I do no planning at all. I tend to get an idea of what I’d like to explore. In my next book ‘What If’ I had a few things I wanted to write about. The first, a moment where a life is changed forever (a lot of my books are about such moments, I am unable to get away from that, though in this book it is very obvious what that moment is) and the second thing I wanted to write about was Alzheimers. Having experienced first hand how devastating this disease is, I wanted to write an uplifting story where Lily uses her disease to ask forgiveness from her daughter. But how do you ask for forgiveness when you can barely remember?
That was the challenge and so I just dived straight in and began to write.
Do you do any work on the characters?
None at all. I suppose I see my characters as people I have been introduced to at a party. If I like them, I leave them in the story and get to know them over the course of nine months or so (the length of time it takes me to write a book). These characters begin to grow week by week as I find out things about them. I then go back to the start of the story and flesh them out using everything I’ve learned. Some characters are much easier to know than others. In the next book, there is a prickly character called Deirdre, she was a hard one to get right, but to my mind, she is the best character in the book now.
Any story boarding/plotting?
No! Having said that, diving straight in can be a bit of a disaster sometimes. Maybe about 40,000 words in, I’ll discover that the way I’m telling the story is all wrong. I might need to introduce a better/stronger plot (yikes) or I might feel that the book would be much better if it were told from a first person narrative instead of a third person narrative. I fight against it for a while until I KNOW it’s not working and then I’ll go back and rework. I have found though that it doesn’t really hold me up as I get a renewed interest in making the book right and I fly along. The way I write is quite organic, I suppose. I like to surprise myself with the story so that way I hope the reader is surprised too. If I plotted and planned, I think I’d lose the spontaneity with which I write.
I’m also a very impulsive person, so plotting and planning would drive me mental.
How much editing do you do after the first draft?
Very little. I suppose I edit as I go so most of my books (bar three) have been published with very minor changes.
And now I’ll ask myself the very same questions:
Sarah, how much planning do you do before starting a book?
My Dancing Daze Notebook
Do you do any work on the characters?
Yes. I write down everything I know or am starting to find out about the main characters – what they look like, their birthdays, their dreams, hopes, fears . . .
I give them names – I love naming characters. Once I find the right name for a character they become much easier to visualise and understand.
Any story boarding/plotting?
My Scene By Scene Plot Notes
How much editing do you do after the first draft?
Again, a lot. I usually do around five or six rewrites, often more, depending on the book. Some books require more rewriting than others. Ask Amy Green: Dancing Daze didn’t require too much rewriting; The Shoestring Club, my latest adult book required quite a bit of rewriting. In fact the first draft is very different to the final book. Pretty much everything changed and I think it’s a much better book for all the thought, planning and rewriting.
So there you go, two writers, two very different approaches. Now which type of writer are you? Do you need to plan or are you happier just sitting down and writing? I’d love to know.
Yours in writing,
Sarah XXX
(And a big thank you to Martina for giving me her time)
Last week I gave a workshop on writing popular fiction and I asked a highly respected literary agent for some information. What are you looking for at the moment? I asked her.
‘There’s no definitive answer,’ she said. ‘But I am looking for something that stands out from the crowd, and the writing must be exceptional.’ She explained that although her agency works with writers on their proposals/books, it is an expensive process if you can’t be sure of a good outcome. So good writing is more important than ever. ‘The writing has to be fresh, individual and clever,’ she added. ‘They must own their book and write with conviction.’
She does not follow trends as they change so quickly. She also said ‘What every writer must remember is that the agent has to sell it on to a editor, and the editor has to sell it on to sales and marketing. So if there isn’t a 1 or 2 sentence pitch, it probably isn’t going to work.’
Interesting, I thought. Very interesting.
I went away and thought long and hard about this. It’s a difficult thing to do. I tried describing some of my own books in 1 or 2 lines:
Ask Amy Green: Dancing Daze (out in Sept) is about a talented young Irish dancer who moves to Budapest at fifteen to study ballet at the famous Budapest Ballet Academy. When her dreams turn sour, can Amy and Clover help save her ballet career?
Ask Amy Green (the series) is about a thirteen year old agony aunt, Amy Green, and her crazy seventeen year old aunt, Clover. Together they right all kinds of teenage wrongs, but when to comes to solving their own problems things aren’t quite as simple.
When the Boys are Away (one of my books for adults) is about a young mum, Meg and what she gets up to when her partner, a professional sailor is away. The pitch is also in the title pretty much – it’s one of my best titles, it says exactly what the book is about, which is really important. But that’s a blog for another day.
Can you describe your book in 1 or 2 sentences? It’s not easy but it’s worth spending time on a killer 1 or 2 line pitch if you want to catch an agent or publisher’s eye.
Yours in writing,
Sarah XXX
(With sincere thanks to the agent who so kindly gave me her time!)
I’ve been editing for the last two weeks so apologies for the lack of blogs. I taught a writing workshop yesterday and this is the list I gave the writers at the end of the class (along with other notes that I’ll post at a later stage). I love good books about writing and here are some of my favourites. I’d advise every anyone interested in writing to invest in and read Stephen King’s book, it’s excellent.
Yours in writing,
Sarah X
On Writing by Stephen King
Inspiring and full of good advice.
From Pitch to Publication by Carole Blake
Invaluable guide to getting published from an experience agent.
The Right to Write by Julia Cameron
One of the best books about being a writer and living a writer’s life I’ve ever found. Succinct, direct and truthful, a book I come back to over and over again if I’m in need of a little writerly pick me up.
Write Away by Elizabeth George
Excellent if you want to write crime.
See Jane Write by Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs
Tips on writing fiction for a female audience – American book – useful if you are interested in writing popular fiction.
Writing …
I’ve been editing for the last two weeks so apologies for the lack of blogs. I taught a writing workshop yesterday and this is the list I gave the writers at the end of the class (along with other notes that I’ll post at a later stage). I love good books about writing and here are some of my favourites. I’d advise every anyone interested in writing to invest in and read Stephen King’s book, it’s excellent.
Yours in writing,
Sarah X
On Writing by Stephen King
Inspiring and full of good advice.
From Pitch to Publication by Carole Blake
Invaluable guide to getting published from an experience agent.
The Right to Write by Julia Cameron
One of the best books about being a writer and living a writer’s life I’ve ever found. Succinct, direct and truthful, a book I come back to over and over again if I’m in need of a little writerly pick me up.
Write Away by Elizabeth George
Excellent if you want to write crime.
See Jane Write by Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs
Tips on writing fiction for a female audience – American book – useful if you are interested in writing popular fiction.
Writing for Success by Patricia O’Reilly
Sensible advice with a useful Irish slant.
Write a Book in a Year by Jacinta McDevitt
Another great Irish book – I think it’s out of print, but you might find a copy in the library.
How Not to Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman
Funny, light humored book about how to avoid common writing pitfalls.
The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers by Betsy Lerner (American)
A fascinating book described as ‘a riveting safari through the wilds of a writer’s brain.’ Ever wondered what exactly editors think about when faced with a manuscript, then this is the book for you!
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
More memoir than writing guide, but very entertaining.
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
How to ‘free the writer within’. Some interesting thoughts and ideas about writing.
Last weekend I spoke at the Waterford Writers’ Festival. The subject of the panel discussion was How to Write a Bestseller. The chair of the session, the very able Vanessa O’Loughlin from www.writing.ie asked us to consider the key elements of fiction writing and what makes a bestselling novel: character, dialogue, plot, making your book stand out. Also on the panel were fellow popular fiction writers Monica McInerney, Sinead Moriarty and Niamh Greene.
It got me thinking about the nature of the ‘bestseller’. A ‘bestseller’ is simply a book that sells a lot of copies, a book that has thousands of happy readers, all actively recommending it to their friends and family, and on Facebook and Twitter (which I think is the way most bestsellers are created – by word of mouth).
So I thought I’d jot down some of the things that came up during the panel discussion in case they are useful. And at the very end I’ll let you in on the secret – how to write a bestseller – as yes, there is a secret!
First of all: Character
We all agreed that creating big, interesting, real, lovable yet flawed characters is the key to writing good popular fiction. Monica McInerney said she creates her characters before plot; for Sinead Moriarty it’s the other way around. But when it comes to characters, you have to think BIG. (I covered this very topic during the 8 Week Write a Book course on this blog).
Monica writes warm, funny family dramas; Sinead’s books tend to have an issue at the centre – breast cancer, anorexia, breakdown of a family unit – and she takes her research very seriously indeed.
Research
Sinead said something very interesting – she said that you can write about anything as long as you do your research, which she finds very freeing. You keep reading until you know your subject backwards, she said. One of her books, Pieces of My Heart (about an anorexic teenager and her family’s struggle to help her get well again) took a lot of research and after the first draft she had to go back and unpick the chapters that were too research heavy and rewrite them. She was very honest and open about this, which I think was helpful for people to hear. Rewriting is a topic that came up a lot. More about that in a second.
But next: Dialogue
Niamh Greene talked about dialogue and how important it is to get it right. She reads out her dialogue and works on it until it’s perfect. I talked about how each character has to have their own way of speaking in a book, their own voice. If you are unsure about how to approach dialogue, read some of the masters – Roddy Doyle, Marian Keyes, Anne Tyler.
Plot
I explained how important it is to select a subject/setting that you really, really want to write about. It has to be something that fascinates you and that you’re dying to tell your readers about - eg zoo keeping (my latest novel, The Shoestring Club has a zoo keeper in it), the life of a young ballerina (Ask Amy Green: Dancing Daze – now that research – in Budapest – was such fun!).
I always say there are two types of people, the planners and the seat of the pant-ers. Planners know where their passport is weeks before travelling, seat of the pant-ers don’t. If you’re a planner, you may need to plan your book. I’m a planner and I make detailed plot notes for every scene of every book. Now, often these change once I start writing, but I need the plot notes to start a book in the first place – it’s like my safely net in case I get stuck along the way. A book takes a long time to write, and you need all the help you can get!
Monica is not a planner, her books evolve as she writes; Sinead is a planner. We are all different writers, just as we are all different people.
Theme
I talked about theme, about how your book has to say something. At the heart of The Shoestring Club is a family secret and the book is about how a buried secret can have devastating consequences.
Julia, the main character, blames herself for her mother’s death – this is at the heart of every mistake she makes in life. And until she comes to terms with this, she will never live a full life.
What’s your book about? Can you tell me in a few lines? If not, you need to work on your book’s theme. And this doesn’t always come easy. Sometimes the theme won’t be clear to you until after your first or second draft.
Rewriting
The difference between a published novel and an unpublished novel – the rewrites. Simple as that. Your first draft is just a starting point. Keep working on it until it’s a perfect as you can make it. Again, see my Write a Book Course for more on this.
Motivation
You have to want to write more than anything in the world. If you don’t have this overwhelming drive and passion, there’s no point in writing. Marilyn Munroe once said:
‘I wasn’t the prettiest, I wasn’t the most talented, I simply wanted it more than anyone else.’
Do you want to get published more than anyone else?
Because that’s the secret. Motivation, tenacity, drive. And the willingness to be honest, to cut a vein and bleed all over the page; to write about things that scare you, upset you, terrify you. You have to dig deep. It has to hurt. If it doesn’t, there’s no point writing. Unless you have to write, unless you have a burning need to tell people about something that means everything to you, don’t bother.
I’ll leave you with these final words from Pablo Neruda:
‘For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.’
Yours in writing,
Sarah XXX
My latest book for adults (UK, Sept)
Welcome to the final week of Write That Book. Today I will cover submitting directly to a publishing house. At a later stage I will look at self-publishing and ebooks, so look out for that soon.
Publishers
Once you are happy with your manuscript, it’s time to decide who to send it to. All of the Irish publishers (and Irish offices of the UK publishers) still accept unsolicited manuscripts, which is good news if you haven’t secured an agent. See last week’s blog – week 7 – for how to prepare your manuscript for submission (to an agent or a publisher). For most UK publishers you will need an agent – again, see week 7 for information on this and a list of recommended agents.
It is very important to match your book to the right publisher. There’s no point sending a crime novel to a children’s publisher for example. Do your research. Find out the kind of book each publisher actually publishes. Visit your local bookshop or library and have a look on the shelves. Familiarise yourself with what the various publishers actually bring out. Some of them specialize, some are more general publishers. Some publish children’s books, others don’t.
For a full list of who’s who in Irish publishing, www.writing.ie can’t be beaten.
Check it out here:
If you are interested in writing either children’s books or popular fiction (the areas I know the most about), these are the main Irish publishers to try:
Poolbeg
Specialise in popular fiction. Poolbeg discovered Marian Keyes, Sheila O’Flanagan, Patricia Scanlon, Melissa Hill, Cathy Kelly and many others. As they only publish in Ireland (although they do sell on other rights), most writers move to an international publisher after a few books (as was the case with me for example). But it’s a good place to start if you write popular fiction.
Editor – Gaye Shortland
Submission details on their website – www.poolbeg.com
O’Brien Press
Publish children’s fiction, adult fiction and non fiction, especially Irish interest books.
They are the biggest and best children’s publishers in Ireland and also sell a lot of international rights to their books.
Editors – Ide Ni Laoghaire and Helen Carr
Submission details on their website - www.obrien.ie
New Island
General publisher (not children’s at the moment, but this may change). They are small, but strong and are especially good at publishing edgy fiction.
Editor – Eoin Purcell
Submission details on their website: www.newisland.ie
Little Islands
Children’s fiction for readers of 6/7+. They are a relatively new publishing house, but they have already made quite a name for themselves in Ireland, with several award winning books for young readers.
Editor – Siobhan Parkinson
Submission details on their website: www.littleisland.ie
Irish offices of UK publishers:
Penguin Ireland
Publish all kinds of fiction and non fiction. Also accept children’s books. Very strong popular fiction list and non fiction list.
Editor – Patricia Deevy
Submission details on their website: www.penguin.ie
Hachette Ireland
Again very strong on popular fiction and have also published a young adult series set in Dublin called The Butterfly Novels. They are only accepting non fiction unsolicited submissions at the moment. For fiction submissions, you will need an agent.
Editor – Ciara Considine
Submission details: www.hachette.ie
Transworld Ireland
Publish both fiction and non fiction and have a strong stable of authors.
Editor – Eoin Mc Hugh
Submission details: www.transworldireland.ie
Once You Have Sent Out Your Manuscript, What Next?
Most Irish publishers will get back to you within three months. Be patient – it’s best not to ring within this time. Few send out an email or postcard to say they have received your manuscript (unfortunately), they are just too busy. If they like your work, they will get back to you, that’s the honest truth.
The Truth about Advances
Whatever you read in the papers, few authors get large advances. Most get royalties based on their sales. These are usually from 7 to 10 % of the price of the book. On the plus side, Irish writer’s royalty earnings are tax free up to a 40k cap if you work is deemed ’worthy’ – you can apply for the artist’s exemption after publication from the tax office.
Once You’ve Submitted – Keep Writing
Don’t get discouraged. Getting published is hard and there will be many set backs along the way. Even J K Rowling was turned down by many of the top publishers – including Penguin and Harper Collins. Don’t just sit around waiting for an agent or publisher to get back to you, keep writing.
Recommended Book: The Best Book for Writers That I Have Ever Read
For a real insiders guide to how the publishing industry really works, read From Pitch to Publication. Written by Carole Blake, one of the top UK literary agents, this book is full of useful information on the publishing business, submitting a manuscript, contracts and troubleshooting. I can’t recommend it highly enough – it’s the definitive guide to getting published.
Best of luck with your writing and publishing journey!
Yours in writing,
Sarah XXX
Top Tips from Alison Walsh, Experienced Editor
(Ex-Tivoli and Harper Collins)
1. Don’t send publishers a ‘rough draft’ of your work, in the hope that they might transform you into a bestseller: it is your job to see that your work is the best it can possibly be before submitting it to a publisher.
2. There are a range of outlets for short stories: Some magazines – eg Woman’s Way – publish them – take a look at a range of magazines to see if your work would be suitable.
3. If you have written a novel, you can approach publishers direct, but do your homework – don’t send your thriller set in the Florida drugs underworld to a religious publisher. Find the company that publishes books in your market, whether it be a self-help guide to quitting smoking, or a romantic novel, and send them a sample of your work.
4. Most publishers like to see a synopsis and 2-3 sample chapters, rather than the entire manuscript, along with a covering letter. This should explain briefly what the book is about and who you are, mentioning any writing credits, if you have them. All publishers receive a large number of manuscripts, so if you don’t hear back within a week, don’t feel disheartened – the process can take a month or so, sometimes longer.
5. If the answer is no, don’t give up, send it to the next publisher on your list. Every writer, no matter how famous, has been rejected at some stage, and it’s all part of the process.
My Latest Book (Sept UK)
Welcome to week seven of Write That Book. If you’ve just stumbled upon this blog, weeks one to six, covering getting started, characters, plot and editing may also be of use to you.
Once you’ve finished your manuscript and have rewritten it many, many times and copy-edited it meticulously, you will need to find an agent or a publisher. I’ll deal with why you need an agent below (and in some cases you don’t), but first, titles.
Book Titles
Book titles are very important. They say a lot about a book. Some writers find titles easy, for others it’s like pulling teeth. And it can differ with every book.
In the world of popular fiction/romantic comedy, I’ve always liked Katie Fforde’s titles: Thyme Out, Practically Perfect, Highland Fling. Maeve Binchy’s titles are also excellent – simple and catchy – Tara Road, Nights of Rain and Stars, Circle of Friends.
On the children’s side, I’ve always loved the quirky Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret as a title. It shouldn’t work, but it does. How to Train Your Dragon, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Under the Hawthorne Tree, Ballet Shoes, Skulduggery Pleasant, Artemis Fowl – all fantastic, memorable titles. It’s hard to define what makes a good title. It must be simple and catchy, but it must also say something about the book.
So spend time getting your title right.
Writing a Proposal for an Agent
So you’ve finished your book, made it as perfect as you can (after many, many edits and rewrites) and you’re finally ready for the journey to publication. Some publishers will accept unsolicited manuscripts, but many of the larger publishers only accept submissions from agents.
If your book is a local history of Dublin, you can send it directly to an Irish publisher, and we’ll talk more about this, along with self-publishing, next week. If your book is a novel, and you’d like to see it published in the UK, all over Europe and the US, as well as in Ireland, you will need an agent.
Preparing your manuscript
Presentation is so important. Your manuscript must look professional. Make sure the pages are freshly printed out and look pristine. Make sure your covering letter is clear and polite. Include any personal details that you think are relevant and interesting – your experience living in an exotic country where the book is set from for example, working in the circus in your teens, your years as a ballerina/ballet teacher – but keep it brief and succinct.
Make sure your manuscript is neatly printed on plain white A4 paper, using double spaces and easy to read (eg Times New Roman) 12 point type; and make sure every page is numbered. Put your name, address and telephone number clearly on the title page, as well as the title of the book, and place a large elastic band around the pages. Don’t staple the pages together and don’t bind your manuscript – agents like to be able to read manuscripts on the train and in bed.
Some agents prefer a synopsis and a few sample chapters first, check with each agent for details before sending anything to them. Place the whole lot in a jiffy bag, and cross your fingers.
These days, some agents read most of their submissions on their Kindle or iPad, make sure to ring or email and ask how they like submissions before you send anything off. Be warned – sometimes you will ring an agent’s office and they will answer the phone themselves. And they may ask you to tell them about your book right then and there. Be prepared! This happened to me once and I was caught completely on the hop. I didn’t have my notes in front of me and I was hideously tongue tied. (In my case it didn’t actually matter – but it could have!)
This is what you will need to send an agent:
A brief, polite and informative covering letter
A brief biog – especially anything exciting or book related. Are you a librarian, bookseller, teacher, bee keeper, lion tamer?
A brief blurb (like you’d find on the back of a book – sell your book to the agent in 3 or 4 lines)
A synopsis of the whole novel – 2 to 3 pages
Character biographies of your main characters – to show you know who they are (I’m not sure if this is standard, but I always do it)
The first few chapters depending on their length – about 30 to 50 pages – ask how many chapters/pages the agent would like to see.
Most agents ask for the first few chapters; if they like them, they will request the entire manuscript. So you’d better make those first few chapters REALLY, REALLY GOOD. Never say in your letter ‘These aren’t the strongest chapters, it does get much better later on’. Never send an extract from the middle of the book.
And finally all agents want career writers, people who want to write lots of books, not just one book. So it’s a good idea to tell them what other book ideas you have, or what other books you have also written.
They want writers they feel they can work with, who are professional, hard working and in control of their work. They want writers who know what they are doing and have confidence in their own work, writers who aren’t afraid of rewrites, who take the business of writing seriously. Is that you?
Why Do I Need an Agent?
People often me ask this and I tell them the following:
The Irish publishing world is quite small and very few writers could survive writing only for the home market. This is where agents come in – to find international publishers for Irish writers, and to sell foreign rights.
There are many reasons why agents are useful:
1/ An agent can advise you on your manuscript and on how to make it more attractive to a publisher. Some of them, like my wonderful agents (I have two agents – in the same agency – one for my children’s books, another for my books for grown-ups) will act as unofficial ‘editors’ to their clients, or can, at the very least, suggest changes or improvements. Many are in fact ex-editors and are highly qualified for this work.
2/ An agent can find the right publisher for your work. Good agents will know what kind of areas particular publishers are looking to publish in at the moment. And they can sell your UK, US and other foreign rights.
3/ Agents deal with the difficult and technical area of contracts. They are also experts in digital rights and ebooks, which is an area that is becoming more and more important for writers.
4/ Money – they can chase up your royalties and talk to your publishers about outstanding monies owed to you.
5/ Good agents make you want to up your game – they make you want to write better books. Which is always a good thing! Ditto good editors – more on that next week.
Agents can be found in the Writers and Artists’ Yearbook. It can take a while for them to get back to you (up to 3 months). It used to be good practice to approach them one at a time, but these days it is perfectly acceptable to approach several at the same time. Of course, if you get an agent, do let other agents you have sent submissions to know, it’s only good manners and you don’t want to waste their time.
There are only a few literary agents in Ireland, the main ones being Jonathan Williams, Faith O’Grady and Marianne Gunn O’Connor (Details below or in the Writers and Artists’ Yearbook as above – or google them). Many Irish authors are with UK agents.
Contact the chosen agent and find out what they would like to see – for some it’s a few chapters, for others it’s the whole manuscript, plus news cuttings, reviews, biog, photo – anything relevant. Even the top agencies are always looking for new talent so don’t be put off by the fact that they represent Cecelia Ahern, JK Rowling or Marian Keyes.
See below for a list of recommended children’s agents and popular fiction agents. And finally I will leave you with some tips from the experienced Irish agent, Faith O’Grady:
Top Tips from Faith O’Grady, Literary Agent at the Lisa Richards Agency
1. Do some research on the literary agency before submitting your work to
find out if they handle your particular genre. It is worth making a brief
phone call or looking up the agency website to find out what their
requirements for submission are. Agencies have different submission policies
so it is worth finding out what they are looking for.
2. Write a cover letter which is clear and concise, giving a brief
description of your book and of yourself. Don’t exaggerate or oversell yourself or the book as this is quite off-putting.
3. Include an sae if you would like your work returned. And don’t expect an
immediate response as most agencies are inundated with unsolicited
manuscripts.
And next week - the final week – we will deal with publishers and self publishing . . .
Who Represents Who?
The Agents Who Represent the Most Successful Irish Children’s Writers (with Contact Details)
Remember to check each agent’s website for submission guidelines before you send anything out. Or ring the agency for details – I know it’s daunting but they are always happy to advise you on how (or if) to submit. Be warned – you may get the agent herself/himself on the phone. Be prepared!
Eoin Colfer is represented by Sophie Hicks.
sophie@edvictor.com
0044 (0) 2073044100
Derek Landy is represented by Michelle Kass
(Who also represents the wonderful Patrick Ness)
office@michellekass.co.uk
0044 (0) 207 74391624
Darren Shan is represented by Christopher Little
Christopher Little Literary Agency
10 Eel Brook Studios
125 Moore Park Road
London SW6 4PS
Tel: +44 (0) 207 736 4455
Fax: +44 (0) 207 736 4490
For general enquiries please email: info@christopherlittle.net
Sarah Webb (moi!) is represented by Philippa Milnes Smith at LAW
Contact: All submissions should be sent, in hard copy, by post to:
LAW, 14 Vernon Street, London, W14 0RJ
www.lawagency.co.uk
Cathy Cassidy is represented by Darley Anderson (Spends a lot of time in Ireland and a lovely woman so I’ve included her!)
Contact: Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency
Estelle House
11 Eustace Road
London SW6 1JB
Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7385 6652
Fax:00 44 (0)20 7386 5571
Email: enquiries@darleyanderson.com
Judi Curtin and Marita Conlon McKenna are represented by Caroline Sheldon
Contact via:
www.carolinesheldon.co.uk
71 Hillgate Place, London W8 7SS
Other Recommended Children’s Agents:
Julia Churchill
Greenhouse Literary Agency
If you want to make a submission, we take e-queries only, please.
To Julia at submissions@greenhouseliterary.com. Check our submission guidelines on this site for full information before querying. Please note, we no longer accept snail-mail queries or email attachments.
We are sorry that we cannot take (or return) phone queries regarding submissions.
Eve White, Eve White Literary Agency
(represents Andy ‘Mr Gum’ Stanton)
eve@evewhite.co.uk
00 44 (0) 207 6301155
Veronique Baxter at David Higham
Contact: David Higham Associates
5–8 Lower John Street
Golden Square
London W1F 9HA
Switchboard: 00 44 (0)20 7434 5900
Fax: 044 (0)20 7437 1072
E-mail: dha@davidhigham.co.uk
Who Represents Who?
Irish Popular Fiction Writers and Their Agents with Contact Details
Remember to check each agent’s website before you send anything out for submission guidelines.
Maeve Binchy is represented by Christine Green
Contact: 0044 (0) 20 7401 8844
info@christinegreen.co.uk
Christine Green Authors’ Agent
6 Whitehorse Mews
Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7QD
Marian Keyes, Cathy Kelly and Monica McInerney are all represented by Jonathan Lloyd (also CEO of Curtis Brown)
Contact: 0044 (0)20 7393 4418
lucia@curtisbrown.co.uk
www.curtisbrown.co.uk
Sheila O’Flanagan is represented by Carole Blake
Contact: Blake Friedmann Literary, Film & TV Agency
122 Arlington Road
London NW1 7HP
Telephone: 00 44 (0)20 7284 0408
Fax: 00 44 (0) 20 7284 0442
email: info@blakefriedmann.co.uk
Cecelia Ahern is represented by Marianne Gunn O’Connor
Marianne also represents Claudia Carroll, Anita Notaro and Sinead Moriarty
Contact: Marianne Gunn O’Connor Literary Agency
Morrison Chambers, Suite 17
32 Nassau Street, Dublin 2
mgoclitagency@eircom.net
Melissa Hill is represented by Sheila Crowley
Sheila also represents Colette Caddle, Emma Hannigan and Sarah Harte
Contact: 00 44 (0)20 7393 4492
crowleyoffice@curtisbrown.co.uk
Sarah Webb is represented by Peta Nightingale at LAW
(LAW also represent Sophie Kinsella – Irish name, but not actually Irish!)
Contact: All submissions should be sent, in hard copy, by post to:
LAW, 14 Vernon Street, London, W14 0RJ
www.lawagency.co.uk
Clare Dowling is represented by Darley Anderson
Contact: Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency
Estelle House
11 Eustace Road
London SW6 1JB
Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7385 6652
Fax:00 44 (0)20 7386 5571
Email: enquiries@darleyanderson.com
Marita Conlon McKenna is represented by Caroline Sheldon
Contact via:
www.carolinesheldon.co.uk
71 Hillgate Place, London W8 7SS
Patricia Scanlan is represented by Lutyens & Rubenstein Literary Agency
Contact via: www.lutyensrubinstein.co.uk
21 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2EU
Other Recommended Popular Fiction Agents:
Madeleine Buston at Darley Anderson
Contact: Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency
Estelle House
11 Eustace Road
London SW6 1JB
Tel: 0 44 (0)20 7385 6652
Fax: 0 44 (0)20 7386 5571
Email: enquiries@darleyanderson.com
Lizzie Kremer at David Higham
Contact: David Higham Associates
5–8 Lower John Street
Golden Square
London W1F 9HA
Switchboard: 00 44 (0)20 7434 5900
Fax: 044 (0)20 7437 1072
E-mail: dha@davidhigham.co.uk
My latest book - out now (UK Sept)
Welcome to Write That Book, the free eight week online writing course. If you’ve missed weeks one to five, covering getting started, characters, plot and lots more, it might be helpful to read them first.
This week we’ll be taking about editing. Once you’ve finished the first draft, then comes the hard bit, the edits and the rewrites. Yes, plural. The first draft is just the beginning. Have patience. Rewrites make the difference between a published writer and an unpublished writer.
Before you even think of sending your book out to an agent or to a publisher, you must make it as good as you possibly can. Some people are excellent at editing their own work, others need help. Here is how I edit a manuscript before it goes anywhere near my agent or editor:
I print out the whole manuscript, read it and make notes as I go along in a (yellow) notebook. If you read this blog on a regular basis, you’ll know that I’m addicted to yellow legal pads.
Some authors suggest waiting a little while before reading. William Trevor puts his writing in a drawer for a year before taking it out to work on it again, and although it is good to get a little distance from your work if possible, I quite honestly don’t have the time for that, so I tend to get stuck in to the editing process straight after finishing the first draft.
For me, there are three stages of rewriting (and I’m sure I got some of this from a book on editing once upon a time, but apologies, I can’t remember the title):
1/ The first rewrite – structure
Step one – I read through my (printed) manuscript carefully, focusing on the overall structure of the book. I use a notebook to jot down thoughts, I scribble on the pages, I put lines through scenes that don’t seem to work. Once I’ve read the whole thing through on paper and made all my notes, I start working on the computer again – I may add scenes, or delete any unnecessary ones. I may even get rid of characters at this stage – kill your darlings as they say. Or I may combine three small characters into one – say a teacher, neighbour and babysitter – they could become one much stronger character rather than three bit players. And many people do more than one job after all!
I re-arrange chapters, and I work on making the opening of the book more dramatic and the ending unforgettable. I add as much drama as possible and cut anything that slows down the action.
This takes a few weeks (sometimes a couple of months, depending on the book) and I find it tough going, but also very satisfying, watching the book’s structure take shape and improve as I chip away at the raw material and re-form it, scene by scene.
2/ Rewriting for meaning
Step two – I make sure everything in the book is clear to the reader. Sometimes I am so close to the characters and the plot that I leave vital information out. I make sure the book runs logically – especially if the time shifts around. And I make sure my characters stay ‘in character’.
I add ‘colour’ sometimes, a couple of lines here and there to enable the reader to imagine the setting; and I take out anything that is not vital to the plot or my characters’ journey.
3/ Rewriting for style
The final step – I work on making the prose as strong and as full of life and vitality as I can. I also work on the dialogue, making sure it’s as good as I can make it.
I make sure every description is strong and not over-written, and I delete any lazy descriptions – ‘white as snow’ etc – and replace them with something more original.
And of course I clean up any typos, spelling or grammar mistakes as I go along – that goes without saying!
After I’ve done the above between two and eight times depending on the book, I finally send it to my agent and editor for their notes. Phew!
If you find self-editing very difficult, or just want another opinion, ask someone you know and trust to read your work. A word of advice, don’t give it to your mother to read – it’s her job to love it!
Ask your reader to be honest. Ask them which parts they liked and which they found slow or boring. Ask them to comment on the characters, the plot, the writing and the pace. Once they have given you their honest opinion, listen to what they have say and try to work out how you can make your book better. Does it need a stronger opening scene; is the action bogged down with irrelevant detail; are there too many subplots vying for attention? Has your reader picked up on the overall ‘theme’ of your book, on what you are trying to say in your work, or not?
If your friends or family can’t help, you could try asking a local librarian or bookseller to read your book for you. If you still can’t find anyone to read your manuscript, never fear. There are professional readers out there who are willing to help you. Cornerstones (UK based) and Inkwell Writers (Dublin based) are two highly respected companies that may be able to help. I’ve mentioned them before, but they are worth mentioning again.
This is one of my favourite quotes on the editing process:
At one time I thought the most important thing was talent. I think now that the young man or the young woman must possess or teach himself, training himself, in infinite patience, which is to try and to try until it comes right. He must train himself in ruthless intolerance–that is to throw away anything that is false no matter how much he might love that page or that paragraph. The most important thing is insight, that is to be–curious–to wonder, to mull, and to muse why it is that man does what he does, and if you have that, then I don’t think the talent makes much difference, whether you’ve got it or not.
William Faulkner, Paris Review interview
Stay Positive
If you get some negative feedback (from outside readers or an editor) try not to get disheartened. All professional writers have to deal with editorial comments and suggestions, it’s part of the job, and yes, some are negative. Pick yourself up and get on with making your book even better. Rewrite and keep rewriting until you can honestly do no more. You’ll never be totally happy with your book – even when it’s published – but it will come to a stage when it’s time to let go. And then begins the scary and nerve wracking part – letting go of your baby and sending it to an agent or a publisher, which we will talk about in weeks seven and eight. For now I will leave you with this quote:
Writing is a hard way to make a living, but a good way to make a life. Doris Betts
Yours in writing,
Sarah XXX
PS After fifteen years of writing, the last manuscript I sent to my editor, Ask Amy Green: Dancing Daze, came back with only three editorial comments – less than a page. Which is a miracle. Maybe I’m finally getting to grips with this writing life!
