This summer my twentieth novel hits the shelves. That I have written and had twenty novels published blows my mind.
I can’t help but think of the teenage me who was teased for being a bookworm and a daydreamer, or the older me who was teased for wanting to write a book. I want to give those versions of me a giant hug. I want to tell them to hold their heads high because they are eventually going to make a career out of those hours spent making up stories and creating characters in their heads.
That one day they are going to have their own writing room with copies of their books on the shelves and a computer loaded with ideas and, drafts and messages from their writing heroes.
I’d love to tell them they will become a bestseller. They will work on a major TV show. They will sell hundreds of thousands of copies and get messages from readers about how their books made someone feel less alone.
I’d love to tell them all the good things because there are so many great things about this career path – but I’d also sit them down and tell them about the side of publishing that isn’t really talked about so much.
As writers we love the creativity of our jobs. We love being able to build worlds, to control the fictional fate of others. We love making sure the bad guys get caught and the right people fall in love. There is no feeling quite like the feeling of the final piece slotting into a complex plot for a psychological thriller, or when you manage to craft the perfect sentence to express a feeling or experience and make it universally relatable.
But what I have never liked – and I can hazard a guess that most authors are with me on this – is trying to navigate the business side of the publishing industry.
While a growing number of authors are turning to self-publishing – now much more accessible and marketable thanks to the likes of Amazon – most writers still seek out a publisher who will take care of the business side of things for them.
In my case I knew that if I wanted to enjoy any level of success, I really needed someone who was business-minded behind me. Better still, I needed a whole team of publishing professionals behind me. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a city to make a book successful.
I, like many authors, am not au fait with how supply chains work, how to calculate print runs, best utilise marketing spends or how to plan an editorial strategy that ultimately builds a brand.
So, we put our trust our publishers to do all that for us and we trust that they have our best interests at heart. It’s fair to assume that our interests must align with theirs. All of us want a book to sell well
But it’s incredibly important to know what we’re signing when we are offered that contract we have been hoping for. Because we’re not only letting a publisher have a significant degree of control over the book we’ve just written, but we’re also giving them the chance to steer our career for however long we are with them, and sometimes beyond that.
I’ve been lucky to work with some incredible publishers including my current publisher Boldwood Books throughout my time in the industry, but I have also found myself wishing I had known the implications of some of my contracts long-term.
So with 20 books of experience behind me, may I offer this advice to new authors getting that first, hard won publishing deal.
- Be wary of vagueness. As much as possible tie down every detail in your contract. Which regions does the publisher have the right to publish in? Which formats do they have the rights to use? How long will the publisher retain the rights to your work?
- No one likes to think about the possibility of it all going wrong, but make sure you are protected if your relationship with your publisher breaks down. Insist on clear and concise get out clauses for both you and your publisher. Are you books no longer earning you any revenue? If so make sure you can utilise a reversion
- Don’t be afraid to take advice on your contract – the Society of Authors will review contracts for you before you sign. This alone is worth the membership fee.
- Speak with other authors to find out what their experiences were like with your prospective publisher. Do a lot of authors move on quickly? This could be a sign that all is not well. (NB: Authors do move around publishers and that in and of itself is not indicative of a problem – but if a lot of authors move quickly, be wary!)
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your editor and publisher. They are nurturing your career, and you have a right to be informed.
(c) Claire Allan
About The Affair by Claire Allan:
Does she have the perfect life… or is she the perfect liar?
Sorcha thought her life was over when she discovered her husband’s affair. But somehow, she’s risen from the ashes of their divorce, and now she’s determined to give something back and help other women who need support.
Women like shy and isolated Tina, who has barely left her flat in the past year. Like Sorcha, Tina knows what it feels like to be betrayed by the man you love.
But when Sorcha invites Tina into her life, and her home, she opens the door to much more than just friendship – and for these two women, nothing will be the same again.
Because one of them is hiding a dark secret – a secret they’ll do absolutely anything to keep…
Prepare to be gripped by this year’s most addictive psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Alice Feeney, Valerie Keogh and Claire Douglas.
Order your copy of The Affair by Claire Allan online here.
Claire also writes under the name Freya Kennedy, and The Fecking Fabulous Forties Club is out now from Boldwood.
About The Fecking Fabulous Forties Club:
The BRAND NEW, funny and uplifting novel from bestseller Freya Kennedy, and find out what happens when Derry Girls become Derry Women…
‘This book is food for the soul! Utterly hilarious, heartwarming, I couldn’t put it down!’— SERENA TERRY
Becca Burnside isn’t sure where it all went wrong…
How did she end up single in her forties, with the highlight of her weekend being a trip to Big Asda with her mum and the only chance of cuddles coming from her dog?
It’s fair to say that Becca’s life isn’t quite where she’d hoped it would be. She already knew that, deep down, but when she finds the time capsule she and her friends made as teenagers and remembers the hopes and dreams sixteen-year-old Becki (with an i) had for the future, she knows she has to do something, and fast.
Refusing to be controlled by her hot flushes and Unexplained Waves of Sadness, Becca is determined to turn things around – for Becki’s sake. But what will it take to prove there’s life in the old girl yet?
Join the most fabulous club in town! Perfect for fans of Serena Terry and Alexandra Potter.
Order your copy online here.
