"Personal" question(s) to John Jarrold

[ctg]

John, congratulations for you and Jasper on achieving best selling status for a debut novel. Very well done. It must be a nice feeling of having a success in these desperate times.

 

[RobertVSRedick]

I agree wholeheartedly: make sure the book is just as good as you can make it, because no one asks to see it when it's better. I can also tell you this, from personal experience: having a jump on Book II of your trilogy (having it 1/3 to 1/2 finished, or wholly finished) can only help. The pressure you'll get to provide the sequels quickly, should you get a multi-book contract, can be breathtaking.

 

[HareBrain]

Robert Redick! I mentioned you on a thread only this morning and here you are! I must be a magician!

 

[chopper]

I agree wholeheartedly: make sure the book is just as good as you can make it, because no one asks to see it when it's better. I can also tell you this, from personal experience: having a jump on Book II of your trilogy (having it 1/3 to 1/2 finished, or wholly finished) can only help. The pressure you'll get to provide the sequels quickly, should you get a multi-book contract, can be breathtaking.

which means we should be seeing an excellent second volume very soon...

and Harebrain - if it is indeed your magic, try not to mention pink velociraptors.....

 

[Susan Boulton]

I would just like to say that my agent has had me produce outlines for sequels to go with my novel. The novel, itself, has been polished within an inch of its life, and I have a feeling it might get another pass pretty soon, just to make sure.

I beginning to feel that as hard as it was to get an agent, that will turn out to be the easy part!

 

[crystal haven]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but if you have to produce outlines for sequels, does this mean you cannot step of the path you have outlined at all?

I start with an idea, but it nearly always changes as I work through, as the characters react to events. I would feel stifled, I think, to have to work to a set outline, even if it was my own creation.

And can I just add - if your agent is asking for outlines for future books, in my opinion, he must feel very confident in the work you are producing.

 

[Susan Boulton]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but if you have to produce outlines for sequels, does this mean you cannot step of the path you have outlined at all?

Well, your agent sells an outline for a book, say;

Boy finds dragon egg. Egg hatchs. Dragon eats boy's granny. Boy has to stop Dragon eating other children's grannies, and teaches it to eat granddads instead.

How you tell the story is up to you, but the publisher has paid/contracted you to write a story about a granny eating dragon in 6 months, it is your job to do that.

You have to, I believe, approach it in that manner, and produce the best writing you can, else, to put it bluntly you are (insert word of choice here *g*). Both publishers and agents are in business to make money from your work. If you can't produce it in the time period, same way any producer has to deliver its goods, then you will find there are a few hundred other writers, itching to get the chance of doing the job.

And can I just add - if your agent is asking for outlines for future books, in my opinion, he must feel very confident in the work you are producing.

He is, and I am going to do my damnest not to let him down, which is my biggest fear at present.

 

[crystal haven]

Thank you for your reply.

It answers a lot of questions. I have been wondering for quite sometime, just how detailed an outline would have to be, and how restrictive to the writing process.

 

[dustinzgirl]

John, we have a lot of synopsis questions, so could you please enlighten us as to what an actual editor/agent in the industry looks for in writing a synposis? Maybe a point by point outline to a synposis?

 

[Scarfy]

The pressure you'll get to provide the sequels quickly, should you get a multi-book contract, can be breathtaking.

When you started THE CHATHRAND VOYAGE did you know how it would all wrap up in the end? Or did you prefer to see where your writing would take you?

 

[Stephen Aryan]

Quick question. I sent off a submission package to an agent, let's call him Mr J. for the sake of argument, who said if you don't hear from me in a little while give me a nudge. And when does it become stalking for an answer?

I did send a reminder email, ok two, one month apart, but nothing yet. Could be my email got blocked by a spam filter, or that he could be very busy. Shoud I email again or try something different or just leave it and move on?

 

[ctg]

JJ once said in another thread that if you don't hear anything after three months then you can consider yourself being unsuccessful. So give him couple of weeks and then write a polite query if you haven't heard anything.

 

[Havlen]

Quick question. I sent off a submission package to an agent, let's call him Mr J. for the sake of argument, who said if you don't hear from me in a little while give me a nudge. And when does it become stalking for an answer?

I did send a reminder email, ok two, one month apart, but nothing yet. Could be my email got blocked by a spam filter, or that he could be very busy. Shoud I email again or try something different or just leave it and move on?

I had the same problem so I nudged via a PM here on the board and got an answer back in relatively short order.

I also queried him a second time, never heard back, but never nudged. I think my email addy (which is a yahoo.com account) gets caught by his spam filter.

 

[Stephen Aryan]

I had the same problem so I nudged via a PM here on the board and got an answer back in relatively short order.

I also queried him a second time, never heard back, but never nudged. I think my email addy (which is a yahoo.com account) gets caught by his spam filter.

Ah, it could be that or the other, but thanks for the info, I will send a nudge.

 

[Mr Tagomi]

I am very pleased to see that other people have also encountered this issue with "Mr J". I'll try a PM too.

 

[Susan Boulton]

I don't think there is any issue at all. An agent's clients come first, and, to be honest, submissions are way down their list. An answer might come back in a couple of hours or six months.

Don't sweat it, submit to other agents, keep the manuscript out there.

My own agent first read my work way back in December 2007. I signed the contract this January.

 

[Peter Graham]

I'm afraid that the good Mr J doesn't tend to reply at all to people who he isn't interested in taking further. You might well find that nudges fall on deaf ears, although I know that a couple of people have managed to get a response by using this site.

He's a busy fellow and I'm sure he doesn't mean to be discourteous, so perhaps if you've heard nothing after a few weeks, take it as a "no" and move on.

Regards,

Peter

 

[ClareCSager]

Hello everyone - I've been reading for a while, but this is my first post.

I have a question, well a request for clarification, really.

In other threads (particularly in relation to word count/novel length), John has mentioned that current commercial fantasy is epic and sweeping... What does this term encompass? Does it have to be fantasy that includes a world-wide plot with far-reaching consequences (across that world)? Or can it include something that is sweeping in more complex terms (eg interwoven character arcs and plots that effect a country or a city)?

I'm currently writing the first book of a historical fantasy series which centres on a few close central characters - there isn't any war or a threat of MegaDoom proportions, but there are swashbuckling fights, intrigue and romance. I suppose it's more like Scott Lynch, say, than Trudi Canavan (or any other epic war fantasy) - I think of it as the ******* child of Joe Abercrombie and Angelique that has Scott Lynch as the unruly uncle who's a bad influence.

There are plots that interweave and troubles from the past that come and bite the characters in the proverbials. There is magic, court intrigue and assassination, as well as slum desperation. There isn't a school/tower of wizardry or quest to find the ring of wibble hidden somewhere in Baldrick's trousers.

I'm trying to work out if this fits within the remit of 'sweeping' and commercial fantasy in the UK? I'm hoping it should reach the length guidelines for UK fantasy (around 120,000 word mark) due to complex characters and their interactions, their backgrounds, sub-plots that weave together, subtle world-building (like Joe Abercrombie - ie, it's subordinate or equal to character and plot, etc, not a replacement for them as in some fanasy), some brutal action and a sprinkle of lavish ballroom drama (bit of a fantasy of manners influence on some social aspects).

I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts!

Many thanks.

~Clare

 

[chopper]

if it is original and striking, then there's no reason why it wouldn't fit onto UK shelves anyway. bear in mind that the current market (ie: what's in the shops now) was being written and bought up to a couple of years ago. so the market may change in the near future.

never write to the market, but do write to your strengths. even if you don't have success with your first attempt - and there's plenty who won't* - at the very least you should be able to get some decent feedback from some of the agencies that deal in fantasy & SF.

speaking of which, and it's already been brought up on this forum somewhere but i can't quite reach the search button from here, have a look at Zeno's past wants list while they were (briefly) open for submissions. that may guide you a little. but again, don't be swayed by what others want now. make them want yours.





*nearly everybody, in fact

 

[darkpowers]

I'm currently working on a novel centered around a newspaper.

In a manuscript, is it acceptable to deviate from the standard double line spacing format to show newspaper items as if they were actually cuttings from a newspaper?

If not what would be the correct way to do it?

Thanks.