Just thought I would write a few lines on the blog to explain why I am so thrilled that my UK publisher is to be Bookouture.
It still feels surreal to me that within the space of a few short weeks my debut novel has sold in four languages! What is particularly thrilling in this ever-changing landscape of publishing is that I feel I have the very best of all worlds. Lucky me! Recipes for Melissa has been bought by traditional publishers abroad and will be in book shops in Germany, Brazil and Israel down the line. Here in the UK I am thrilled to now confirm that I am to be published next Spring by a very modern, dynamic company with a terrific new publishing model and a superb track record. It means my book will be available both as an ebook and a paperback swiftly ( music to my ears!). But that does NOT mean any shortcuts on quality and editing. The deciding factor when I signed with Bookouture was a lovely conversation with Claire Bord who is to be my editor. I felt that she completely understood where I am going with this novel...and my writing. It was the reassurance I needed that in editing with her, I will be in the best possible hands. Below is the press release from Bookouture which explains a little more about Recipes for Melissa. It is not my story, of course. This is fiction. But it does come from a theme very close to my heart and so I feel very proud that this story will soon be "out there". PS Forgive me for mentioning that I now have a new Facebook Author page HERE. Do please pop by to "like"the page as it is feeling a tad lonely in these early days! An email has just pinged into my inbox from my new UK Publisher. Hang on a minute. We need to rewind just a few weeks. You need to picture me sitting at this same desk, thinking exactly what many of you will be thinking right now. When will it be me? Will it ever be me? Will I ever get to say those words….My UK Publisher… Which is the point of this blog. To try to turn my book deal news into a little boost for you, rather than a reason for you to beat yourself up or feel downhearted because it is not quite your time yet. Because believe me – I’ve been there. Every single time I heard of someone else’s book deal success in the past – especially after a long slog – I felt immediately delighted for them. Truly. And then in the next breath? I found myself sighing. Losing faith in myself.Will it ever be me? Not so much envy (horrible emotion) but more a tricky contrast which can be difficult to negotiate, especially as the next rejection rolls in… So I’ve decided- before I announce my UK publisher (get me) – to make this blog a little “top tips” resume for those of you still on the journey. I am always encouraging other writers to “keep going” and my own story ( an “apprenticeship” in fiction which lasted ten years!) is evidence that this really does pay. Let's not kid ourselves that I have all the answers! I'm still learning. It's all subjective ( and I change my mind about things pretty much every day. A writer's prerogative, methinks).. But here are some of the things I’ve learned:
Good luck! PS I will share more news soon on my UK book deal. All very new to me. All very, very exciting. It feels surreal, this. I am finally writing the blog which shares the news that I am to be a published author. I’ll say that again. (Steps aside for silent scream.) I am… to be a published novelist. I had always imagined this news would involve a single, spectacular announcement. But guess what? The reality is turning into a two-part story involving much pacing and biting of nails (mine!). Given that it’s taken me the best part of (whisper this) a decade to land a book deal, I was going to hold off on this blog until the nails had grown back and I was in a position to tell you absolutely everything. But –the truth? If I delay any longer there is a very real danger I may actually explode. So…. First instalment: My lovely literary agent recently put my new novel Recipes for Melissa on submission simultaneously to UK and international publishers as the editing was finished just ahead of the Frankfurt Book Fair. Amazingly German publishers instantly starting going bonkers for the book. SEVEN key names made offers and there was then an extraordinary auction (no; I can’t believe it either) which over several tantalising days secured an unexpectedly high advance in a two- book deal with a lovely major player ( part of Macmillan group globally. Double gulp). I sat on the floor in disbelief. The only problem was this was just a little bit like getting the icing before the cake. No author is worth their salt unless they are capable of extreme panic (even in the face of great news) – so I started to have a little panic. What if I was to be published in several foreign languages and not my own? Of course my agent told me not to be so silly. And she was right, thank heavens. After an agonising wait during which my book has also been discussed “across the pond”, an offer has now come in from a UK publisher. All still under negotiation as I write (these things take time) so I’m sorry but I will have to press the pause button and delay sharing part two with you. Meantime - a huge shout out for my wonderful literary agent who mentioned me in Frankfurt Book Fair despatches here Very soon I will tell you what the book is all about and how two very special moments inspired me to write it. I will also share the UK news just as soon as I can (who needs nails?). But for now? A little lie down, I think! Sometimes you just need a group hug. By which I mean time in the company of other writers to remind yourself that the very strange way we tend to think and behave is OK after all. Voices in your head? Feel as if your characters are real people? Honestly….don’t worry about it. Writing is by its nature quite a solitary life so I am very lucky just now as I’m touring Devon libraries with my short story workshop which means I get to regularly meet a wide range of other writers of varying experience. It’s the most fabulous lottery and because each group is inevitably so very different, I find the sessions fun and interesting in different ways. My students have been very kind with their feedback ( thank you; thank you) but I should add that I always feel I learn something myself at these sessions and inevitably drive home beaming. My latest group was at the beautifully-refurbished Exeter library and I’m pictured here with just a few of the writers after a quick coffee break. A mix of ages is always good for these sessions and it was lovely this time to have a young and enthusiastic Italian writer with us to shine a different light on some of the exercises and ideas. Thanks Beni! Next week I’m off to North Devon again. It is all excellent distraction from the fact that my MS is now on submission. The truth? I am so nervous that I am actually trying not to think about that. What do you mean editors will be reading it ? Don’t. Be. Silly… Just to say that all (my) panics and pruning and last-minute edits are done. My agent has just confirmed that my MS is now on submission! Let it be known that said agent deserves a medal/sainthood for patience with me this last week of the wobbles. But all done now. So forgive me if I put something cold and delicious in the fridge rather than pay attention to the chaos that is my life and house just now. Laundry? What laundry? All will be calm again soon, I’m sure. Enjoy your own writing and your weekend. Er – you remember the last blog about being calm and professional while editing? Taking a lot of walks and thinking things through, blah, blah. Cancel that. This time an honest update on panic. Those days in between the walking and the calm professionalism when you temporarily forget that it always all comes good in the end and want to hurl the manuscript out of the window. Also I need to tell you how much I pity my poor husband and that my best advice in all the world is to avoid novelists (aspiring or otherwise) when they are in the final throes of editing. Here’s the story, then. Last week I loved my MS. Last week I thought I was pretty much done. I had ticked all the boxes re editing notes from my agent. I made the mistake of thinking I was “there”. And then. Oops. Just one, final hurdle. New concern (after all the previous changes) over a character who is supposed to be minor but has apparently got just a bit too big for his boots. Oh gawd! He is apparently now too dominant. Needs to become a minor, minor character. The problem is he cannot become a minor character without another quite substantial rewrite for various structural reasons I won’t bore you with. To avoid this additional rewrite I ignore my own advice about going for long walks ( see last week) and instead regale my husband throughout most of Monday evening about why this character is so very important, not just to me but to the book. I bore with an analysis of my “motivation” list for this character. How he shines a light on so many things. How he provides action where otherwise there might be too much emotional journeying. My husband agrees with me. Oh, but he completely understands. Poor, poor me. He will completely understand if I stand my ground. All sorted? By Tuesday I have secretly started the rewrite, not just diluting the character but taking him out . “What are you doing?” My husband has an expression of resigned exasperation as steam pours from my computer. The house is a tip. No one has any clean underwear. Whenever a mealtime looms I suggest Tesco restaurant tokens. “Oh I’m taking that character out now. Amazing how easily I can kill him off. Do you know. I think this final version is going to be just brilliant without him…My agent is a genius.” My husband, whom I do not deserve but is thankfully used to all this insanity, knows exactly what line works best in this situation. For anyone new to a relationship with a writer, it is - for reference – as follows : Daytime: “Coffee, honey?” Later : “Wine, honey?” PS In the midst of all this I have also just started my workshop tour of Devon libraries, sharing all my tips for writing short stories and negotiating the writer’s life. My first group were just brilliant. We had a ball. And yes – I did tell them the story of “killing your darlings”! How they laughed… As a journalist, I'm very used to editing. “Er. We absolutely love this, Teresa – but I’m just wondering if we could turn it into a two- page feature instead of a page lead? ” Going back to the drawing board – to lengthen, cut or general chop a piece of writing about is par for the course in newspapers. Sometimes it can trigger a sinking heart (or secret swearing/ bashing of head against wall). And sometimes you may stand your ground if the suggestion is completely unreasonable. But mostly you accept this is par for the course, do the cursing under your breath ….and off you jolly well trot. The mantra is to be professional. Re-writing is part of the job. And so it is that I have learned over the years to approach editing fiction in a similar fashion – ie professionally with one subtle difference. I take a lot of walks. Can’t imagine that working in the newsroom, myself. “Er – sure. Happy to make the changes, Mr News Editor, but can I just take a stroll to think them through?” Editing news, being centred on facts is, in fairness, pretty straight forward – and always up against a deadline. To rewrite – you simply re-jig the facts already at your disposal or get some more. You add or subtract or change the tone. And FAST. But editing fiction (the product of your own airy fairy fantasies) is inevitably a different beast altogether demanding more thinking time and a different process ( hence the long walks). And what I have learned above all else is to ignore the initial stage of panic when I am thinking *heartbeat accelerates* …..I can’t do that! For anyone unfamiliar with the editing process in fiction, it goes something like this. Your agent or editor will tell you all the things they really, really love about your MS and then just when your chest is all plumped and proud, they will ever so cleverly tell you very subtly and professionally what they think needs, ahem, changing. This is not because they do not love you….but because they do. They want to make your writing even stronger and more saleable. Do we really need this strand? Could we have a bit more of this character, do you think? A little less of so and so? Subtle but clever little pointers. The problem, of course, is that you the author must now decide what advice to accept …and how to pull it off. No one is going to do the actual re-writing for you. Editing means giving feedback and pointers. Writers do the re-writing. For my current MS, I was lucky to have fairly limited requests for change. Thankfully I very quickly realised that all of these editing “nudges” would make the novel stronger. I felt blessed and lucky to have my lovely agent and her team on my side. There was just one niggle. I was asked to take out a strand which I had used as a device to delay a reveal in the narrative. It created a problem I needed to work through before I convinced myself the strand could go. Cue….a lot of long walks. Top editing tip? Ignore that first panic, panic, panic….and just walk and think. It not only works but is good for the BMI. The update is I have just heard from my agent that she loves the revision ( yup; I DID take the strand out) and we are very nearly ready to submit the novel to UK publishers. Crikey! Just a few more weeks and my baby goes out into the world! Imagine that. After all this work. Deep breath, Teresa. Deep breath. PS Picture is of Porthleven in Cornwall during recent holiday. Gorgeous place. Gorgeous people. And PERFECT for thinking, walking and editing. OK – apologies, everyone. I’ve been a bit of a “ tease” lately with my news – trying to keep my head down. To be professional and discreet ‘n all. The truth is I’ve had a very exciting time – with several lovely agents wanting to rep my new novel. (Yep. I can’t quite believe it either *pinches flesh *) So after lots of chats and angst and weighing up whether I wanted to be with a boutique agency or a big name corporate, I am delighted (cue trumpets) to announce that I have just signed with Madeleine Milburn whose gorgeous and very dynamic boutique agency will now represent me. I try to be honest here – to help other writers who may be in the same boat - so here’s the story. The hardest thing? Taking the agonising decision to leave a previous agency which had championed my early fiction. I am loyal by nature and so this was tough, tough, tough. But there had been a lot of staff and other changes and I knew in my heart that for my new manuscript, I needed to take a deep breath and move on. Scared? You betcha. I resigned from that agency (and parted amicably which was important to me) not knowing whether I would get someone else to sign me. Everyone knows how difficult it is to get a literary agent so I lay in bed at night, sweating. Was I completely bonkers? Getting too big for my blessed boots? For all that, I just had this good feeling about the “big idea” behind my new book and felt that I had to go for it. All or nothing. The truth is I’ve been serving this “apprenticeship” in fiction for a very long time now and am just hoping and praying that it is finally my time. I’m not going to tell you what the new book is about just yet – more teasing; sorry, sorry - but this is the novel the first draft of which I wrote very quickly, inspired by Stephen King’s advice that once you have a passion for an idea, you should just put your head down. This I did and regular readers may remember I blogged about that exhausting but also exhilarating way to work here and here. Re the script itself? I did a substantial amount of editing before deciding I was ready to start querying afresh. Loads of interest very quickly thankfully. Five of my target agents requested the full manuscript. I nearly fainted. Then – after a horrible spell when I had to try very hard not to stalk them all on twitter - one offered representation. And another….and another… To be honest I found this totally unexpected scenario of choosing between agents both wonderful but also quite stressful. Here were people I really admired telling me my book was “special”. Amidst all this excitement – Madeleine Milburn and I had a get-together. The truth? I knew very quickly that this was the agent I wanted to work with. Passionate. Professional. A strategist. Also – just lovely. Exactly what I need. To be fair and professional and all that jazz, I let the other offering agents know about my decision very quickly and so here I am. On team Madeleine Milburn! I couldn’t be more thrilled – especially as there are some super authors at the agency ahead of me already doing wonderful things. I feel v lucky to stand in line with them…..hoping and crossing my fingers to properly earn my place there and finally get a deal. So – it’s all systems go which, of course, means… more editing. * Enjoy your own writing and have a great week! |
AuthorTeresa Driscoll - journalist, author, mother of two and lover of great coffee. CATEGORIEsArchives
February 2024
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