Tuesday, 12 January 2010

• Prev
• Next

Sex and the Style Editor

Alison Tay

The real Carrie Bradshaw's guide to getting published

Chick lit novelist and author of Katy Carter Wants A Hero Ruth Saberton's back - revealing her 10 steps to bringing out your own best seller

The fabulous novel Katy Carter Wants A Hero by Ruth Saberton is out on 1 April 2010. No joke.

Back by popular demand, chick lit novelist Ruth Saberton, my special guest blogger has returned with her 10 steps to becoming the next publishing sensation. 

1. Write about what you know and what interests you, not just what you think might sell. You need to write with conviction if you're to succeed. Boy wizards and vampires are all very well but are you really an expert on these? It was only when I started to use my own world as inspiration that I found success with Katy Carter Wants A Hero.

2. Read. Read. Read. Be an expert on the type of book you want to write. See how other author use language. Don't copy them but take away an understanding of what works and what doesn't.

3. Write. Sorry to be boring but there's no getting away from this bit. The difference between published writers and people who think about being published is that published writers sit down and make themselves write. Even when they don't want to. Especially when they don't want to. Ignore Facebook /eBay /the biscuit tin and just get writing!

4. Once you've written the first draft of your book put it away for a few weeks to "cook" Celebrate, go to the pub, eat a family sized Dairy Milk. Then take the manuscript out again and read it with a critical eye. Cut any thing you don't need however much it hurts. I once got told to cut out an entire character by an editor. Ouch! Much better to make the decisions yourself.

5.If you can afford it send your novel to a book doctor like Hilary Johnson or Cornerstones. They will give you an honest and critical (in the professional sense not the "Your book's rubbish and you can't write sense" although it will feel like that) Rage and fume for a day or two, then do whatever they suggest. Under no circumstances give your book to your mum or your best friend to read. They have no choice but to tell you it's fantastic. Find someone who is a little less biased.

6. OK. Now your masterpiece is edited, proof read it for errors and you're ready to go. Invest in lots of printer ink, stamps, envelopes, A4 paper and a copy of The Writers' and Artists' Year Book. This has all the details of publishers and agents in the UK and is brilliant. You really need to spend ages going through it and seeing which publisher will take the kind of book you write and which agents may have a gap in their lists for your kind of writing. Pour a big glass of wine and get stuck in!

7. You really need an agent to represent your interests with publishers. An agent does all the boring stuff like checking contracts, negotiating money and looking at the legal side of things. They also act as a filtering mechanism for publishing houses because editors know agents will only choose to take on writers with talent. An agent will place you manuscript with their contacts at the major publishing houses and do his/her best to get you a really good deal. This is something you really can't do on your own and it's well worth paying them the 15% they charge. My agent, Eve, is brilliant and has really helped me get this far. Once you've selected an agent from your Yearbook send them a CV, a covering letter, synopsis of the book and some sample chapters. Don't forget an SAE too!  Then sit back and chew your nails for weeks. Agents get lots of submissions (Eve can have over 100 a week) and it takes them time to sift through.

8. If you are rejected take it on the chin and move on. Be angry, be disappointed, be sad by all means. Then pick yourself up and move on. This is only one person's opinion and in your case they are wrong! Publishing is full of stories about writers who've had zillions of rejections but gone on to have fantastic success. Just ask J K Rowling!I bet all the agents and publishers who turned her down are still kicking them selves! If the agent gives you some advice act on it and then submit to the next one on your list. If you've got talent somebody will spot it, I promise. All agents and publishers are busy looking for the next big thing and that could be you.

9. Grow that thick skin. Rejection is all part of the process. It happens to us all, many times. Remember you only need two people to say yes - an agent to represent you and the publisher to buy the book.

10. Wow! You've done it! You've got an agent and you've sold your novel. Now it's time to relax, crack open the champagne and begin that Carrie Bradshaw lifestyle, right?Err, no wrong. Very wrong. Now there's even more work to do. Editing, marketing, bookshop stalking to make sure the shops have copies of your novel and display it prominently! Once your sales are good then go out and celebrate with your friends (if they remember you!) and buy yourself nice something as a reward.

And then get on with the next book!

Katy Carter Wants A Hero is published by Orion Books on 1 April 2010. 

Ruth will be back to reveal How To Find A Hero In 10 Steps. For more, visit www.RuthSaberton.co.uk