Authors, agents and publishers tell all at a London Book Fair master class. Aspiring novelist Phil Williams took notes.
The London Book Fair Master Class entitled How to Get Published held on 18 April 2009 attracted the best part of a thousand wannabes to hear an industry perspective from agent Simon Trewin of United Agents and senior commissioning editor Bill Swainson of Bloomsbury, plus authors’ views on the industry from Kate Mosse, Lola Jaye and Gareth Sibson.
Above all passion
So the market is tough, but we know that. Books went into recession early this time, the panel acknowledge, but usually they emerge first. So how do we aspiring writers make ourselves noticed during times of economic difficulty? What matters is passion, the panel agrees. It is about having an idea that you cannot bear not to get down on paper. Agents and publishers are excited by the prospect of the ‘wow’ – the next new talent – and they have to find that talent, so agents do read submissions. Not cover to cover, but efficiently, with the objective of finding the publishable author. Bloomsbury accept unsolicited manuscripts, BUT in the last ten years only three such have been published by them and only two made money. So find the right agent who has authors who write the sort of thing you write. Do the research.
What to submit
When you submit an idea, write a one-page covering letter as if you were talking to the agent – they are human, surprise, surprise. Keep the focus clearly on the project you are submitting but talk also about yourself and what you are planning to write next. Don’t define yourself by genres, rather say which authors your book would sit next to on the shelf. The key is to get over the fact that you are someone who takes writing seriously. When you write a synopsis, write as if you are describing your book to friends…without going on so long as to bore them; a blurb should be no more than 8-10 lines.
What are you writing anyway?
Kate Mosse offered a really helpful distinction between literary and commercial fiction, which can help all aspiring writers to write synopses. Commercial fiction is story driven, she says: ‘what happens next’ drives the book. In literary fiction the priority is the sentence by sentence quality of the language and ideas; it is often difficult to say what happens, but the reader will frequently pause and think. Think about the type of books that make the Orange Prize shortlist, and look at their publishers. Time and again you’ll spot the same publishers and often they are not those who are on the bestseller lists. If there is an issue driving your writing, Kate advises that you take note of Keats’ remark, ‘we hate poetry which has a design upon us.’ Focus on the narrative and the quality of the story, and do make sure your synopsis reflects this.
When to submit
Don’t make your approach to a publisher or agent too early. Publishing is a long game: long periods of waiting and short spells of excitement. It could take a year to find an agent, so submit to several at a time. Then it will take a year at least from being accepted by a publisher to being published. So before submitting your idea, leave your manuscript alone for a month and come back to it fresh. Make sure it is the best you can do, as the writer you are now. And be aware that the money, when it comes, will also come slowly.
What do they do?
The objective of the commissioning editor is to find books that will publish successfully. He or she will argue your corner against the money men, the marketers and salesmen; they will do their sums on costs and expected sales and that forms the basis of an offer to the agent. It is a hard-nosed business. BUT you can only be the writer you are; it is fatal to follow the market. Publishers take on authors, not books. There must be the next book, indeed there should be evidence of a whole line of books. Publishers are looking for long-term authors who approach writing professionally.
Stay in the real world
Finally and most helpful for us aspiring writers, the panel urged us not to retreat to the writer’s garret. Stay involved in the world to prevent your terms of reference from shrinking they said. Write everyday. If you do, you will get better; if you don’t you won’t. It’s that simple!
Remember above all that publishing is a massive piece of networking; our place in it demands passion, stamina, patience and hard work. And slogging to get our names and ideas recognised. In terms of marketing, Lola uses Facebook, Gareth blogs and uses contact with the features editors of newspapers. Kate urges you to make noise in whatever way you can.
