I’ve had a number of “right then” moments recently. A while back, at the age of 58, I was made redundant. But there was no time for moping as I threw myself into updating my LinkedIn page, fixing my resume, and setting up job alerts. I reckoned I had one more good role left in me, but in the meantime, I signed up to support people with disabilities and got going on that book.
Thirty months later, that book is finished. All 85,000 words, five redrafts-worth-of-a-book is finished. But, you know, it’s sort of the moment I’ve been dreading because now I’ve got to try to get it published. So, rather than be selfish and keep the process to becoming the next JK or Suzanne Collins to myself, I thought I’d share it.
I must admit that I have form when it comes to sharing this type of thing, because my previous blog tracked the success (or otherwise) of taking the music of my band to the world. The thing was, I never defined how ‘success’ should be measured. We recorded a record. We released it. It garnered 20,000-odd streams. It was heard in 24 different countries. I’m proud of it. I’m still driving a crap car.
The book’s different. I have a goal and that is, simply, to have it published. I want to hold a copy of it in my hand (ideally in hardback!) I want to see it on Amazon. I want to inscribe an inner page and give it to my grandchildren. This time, I’m not concerned about taking it to the world.
I should mention that before starting my novel, I was not really a book person. I mean, I read on holiday – you know, trashy thrillers or autobiographies – and I usually had a book or two beside my bed. But I didn’t come home and read. I didn’t curl up in front of the fire with my cat and read. I didn’t devour the latest Booker Prize winner over the weekend. There always seemed other stuff in my life to do first.
But now, although I'd never describe myself as a bookworm and I'm yet to bond with the cat, I'm far better read - particularly in the area of YA.
Another thing I have been reading a lot about is how to publish your book. There are countless google pages devoted to this. When I first started writing my book, I imagined self-publishing would be the way for me: I’d retain control and make my own decisions about cover design, editing and marketing. The royalties would be higher (70% vs 15% seems like a no-brainer). I could publish in a matter of weeks while the traditional route can take over a year. Plus, when I sell the film rights, the money would come to me!
On the other hand, self-publishing has its costs – editing, cover design and printing don’t come for free! It also means less or no bookstore and library access and, at the end of the day, it’s all going to be incredibly time consuming.
Now that I’ve finished the book, I’ve decided to go this route:
- Find an agent. The holy grail for fiction writers is to be published by one of the big five - Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan - but they only consider pitches from agents, so...
- If this doesn’t work, I’ll approach independent publishing houses directly, and hopefully, I won’t have to pay too much up front.
- If this doesn’t work, self-publish. Which is fine, because I like a project.
So, what’s the book about, I hear you scream.
Set in a non-human, anthropomorphic world, Them Creepy Crawlies is a young punk band on the rise. The gifted yet petulant Anton, the sensible and repressed Honey B, the fiercely independent Spyder, and the endearingly awkward Wiggy have poured their hearts into their music, earning a headline spot at one of the world's biggest music festivals. But the day before this life changing performance, a shocking revelation shakes the band to its core, threatening their future and forcing them to confront who they are, where they come from and what they want in life. As the band journey's through unexpected twists and turns, they're drawn into an dventure that will test their friendship, unearth hidden truths, and challenge everything they thought they knew about life, love, and wht truly matters. Heartfelt and buzzing with energy, The Hornet's Nest is a story about self-discovery, second chances, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship.
Right then. Let’s get that list of agents together.