"Personal" question(s) to John Jarrold

[Dozmonic]

I'm a night owl, it's when I like to write best because the world's at its quiestest and I have no imminent interruptions like people waking up. It does of course mean that I am tired as anything the next day, but that's the price this obsession pays ;-) The important thing is to write, because it's the only way to improve!

 

[Ian Whates]

Mornings suit me a lot better.

I agree with Neil (hey, there's a first time for everything!), and find that I do a lot of writing in the mornings, though by no means exclusively.

Evenings I tend to leave for spending time with my far better half, Helen, so that she doesn't feel a complete computer widow.

 

[JDP]

Hi John, I've just been browsing the news section of your site and felt compelled to comment on the huge number of deals you're putting together - congratulations

 

[J-WO]

A question for John and any professional novelists out there:

I'm curious about the practicalities of becoming a professional author. When do people typically give up the day job?

-Read something by John Scalzi where he says you may comfortably give up the day job when writing pays as much plus 20%(ish) more- that whole tax and self-employment thang.
A good rule of thumb (Probably) but it doesnt take regularity of pay into account.

 

[Mr Tagomi]

Thanks, J-WO.

I suppose the uncertainty of one's future income as a novelist would require the establishment of a financial buffer, over and above what one can get from a salaried job. Then there is stuff like pensions to consider.

Though I suppose it's all pie-in-the-sky for someone like me who has as yet not made a penny from fiction.

 

[Spectro]

Hi John,

Do you think being published by an independent publisher (for e.g. a POD publisher) is a help or a hindrance to a new author when trying to get an agent or a deal with a major publisher? Or does it make no difference at all?

 

[Susan Boulton]

All I can say is from personal experience I was judged on the work/novel I presented to my agent at that time. I have had short stories printed in anthologies by small independent publishers, one a POD. I think it is the work I am now capable of doing that swung it.

All agents/publishers look for something different. Not only what they like, but what they believe they can sell. Getting your work in front of an agent that believes both where you are concerned is very hard work.

I would also add that once you have a book accepted it is not a matter of sitting back and waiting for the sales to happen. You have to prove that you are a sound business proposition. It is like you are the manufacturer, and your novels are the product, and you have to prove to the supplier (the publisher) that you can produce the goods, on time and to order. You also have to bare in mind that there are a few 100 others waiting in line to do the job if you can't.

 

[John Jarrold]

A question for John and any professional novelists out there:

I'm curious about the practicalities of becoming a professional author. When do people typically give up the day job?

I work 9-5 as a technical writer myself, and I find that the best I can do in the evenings is about an hour working on a novel or short story (and that's on a good day).

This means that my output is building at a snail's pace, and makes me wish I did not have a day job. But I have to make a living, so there is no option.

Over the fifteen years I worked in publishing, over 80% of the authors I published (and I'm not talking about debut novelists here) had day jobs. Publishers pay what they think a book is worth to them, not what the author needs to live.

 

[John Jarrold]

Yeah, I need to disengage at night. I don't tend to write late (unless I'm really on a roll) for exactly the reason you describe. Mornings suit me a lot better.

And as Mark says, it's as well to find a routine that works for you now.

Exactly. Every author has to work to a routine that suits them - there is no 'right' way to do this.

 

[John Jarrold]

Hi John, I've just been browsing the news section of your site and felt compelled to comment on the huge number of deals you're putting together - congratulations

Many thanks! It's been an amazing time since I did the three-book deal for Hannu Rajaniemi with Gollancz. Publishing isn't the sort of work where you can expect offers to come in regularly through the year (though your bank manager might like it to work like that!). When they arrive, they arrive. Some of those deals have come to fruition after months of discussion, others more rapidly. Every deal has its own rhythm. Like so many things in publishing, there is no exact template!

I'm particularly pleased that my final deal for 2008 is the four-book Malazan novel deal for Ian Cameron Esslemont! Many Malaz fans have already been in touch via e-mail. So to confirm for those who haven't seen details, Cam Esslemont's next Malaz novel is called STONEWIELDER. It'll be delivered to Bantam in the UK in September 2009, and published in 2010. And Bantam have signed up three further Malaz novels from Cam. There is news of a US publishing deal, but I can't pass that on yet. I'll do so as soon as I am allowed to.

 

[John Jarrold]

Hi John,

Do you think being published by an independent publisher (for e.g. a POD publisher) is a help or a hindrance to a new author when trying to get an agent or a deal with a major publisher? Or does it make no difference at all?

It certainly isn't going to hurt. A publisher can see that you can finish a novel, and can judge whether or not they think you've done so successfully...

 

[John Jarrold]

I'll be turning the computer off for the Christmas/New Year break on Sunday 21st, back online by January 2nd.

Have a great Christmas, and all best wishes for 2009!

 

[ctg]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

[JDP]

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[GeoffNelder]

Good to see you again, John.
I work best early morning and once the family have gone to bed in the evening (unless I'm lured there too). Sometimes the evening - night - blends into the morning.
See you at this year's Cons?

Geoff

 

[Kenneth]

Hi I'm new to the forums. I was attracted here because I am wrapping up my first novel, and I am beginning to think about having it published. Its the first book in a trilogy, and I am about to start writing the second book.

Do you think I should wait to publish until I have finished the trilogy, or try to find a publisher now?

 

[GeoffNelder]

Kenneth, John may have a different take on your question, but I asked the same Q to Charlie Stross over the same situation for me and he advised me to outline but not write beyond the first book until you sell it.

Geoff

 

[Stephen Aryan]

I had always wondered about this kind of situation and how you went about it. I'm looking forward to hearing JJ's answer.

 

[ctg]

Kenneth, I don't want to step on John's shoes, but you need to get that first book absolutely 100 per cent right. It has to be so convincing that people from assistant editor to CEO wants to put their money in it.

 

[Boneman]

Although Patrick Rothfuss finished all three of his trilogy as he couldn't get any interest as he went on....having said that, his blog details an awful lot of re-writing and editing of book 2, and presumably he's doing the same for book 3. I'd agree with ctq pretty much. I finished the first book of my trilogy, and took good advice, and now I don't want to move on until book 1 is just right, but is tempting...... Don't send it out until you're 100% cerain that it's the best it can be, you only get one shot with each agent/publisher, unless they're impressed enough to say "I'd like to see this when it's re-written" and the last time that happened was St James' bible.....