Why did you decide to write this book?
It’s simple. The longer we stay in the publishing world, the more we see the kind of mistakes that cause writers to fail. There is a big disconnect between the creative writing world and the publishing world. Making the cross between them is harder than many writers think.
Can you give us any areas that might highlight where new writers are going wrong?
Certainly. Not looking at the submission guidelines is up in the top ten. Publishers all have websites and the guidelines will be there. Sending the wrong length of sample or sending your work to the wrong email inbox reduces your chances before the publisher has read the first sentence.
Was there any one moment that made you think, ‘I need to write this’?
I don’t think I had a publishing ‘road to Damascus’ moment. It was more a gradual build up over the years after reading hundreds of submissions. I think what tipped me over the edge was a writer’s conference, where I was speaking. I was struck by how many people didn’t understand the difference between agents and publishers, and what they do for writers. These were people with a real interest in creative writing, and many of them hoped to do it professionally. It made me realise that the publishing world is rather opaque.
Do you feel that you know everything about publishing?
Far from it. I learn every day. I am very clear in the book that my experience is that of a small indie publishing house. The advice I am giving is from a personal perspective. I asked myself if there were any trends that were getting writers rejected when we looked at submissions, and it soon became clear that there were things that made some writers stand out as professionals while others remained unconvincingly amateurish.
So it’s not just about the writing?
Publishing isn’t just about the writing. I think it’s one of the things authors should start considering before approaching traditional publishers.
Is the book just for people interested in being traditionally published?
Well, I’m writing from a traditional publishing perspective so I talk a lot about that. But I definitely discuss self-publishing and vanity publishing.
Last question. Why did you make it funny?
I wanted the book to be accessible and not to feel like a textbook. I didn’t want publishers or the world of publishing to seem stodgy. Writing is a serious business but it shouldn’t mean you can’t have fun.