Isobel Mahon, author of The Meet Cute and the forthcoming Mr Right All Along, on getting your book down, getting it out there (and everything in between).
Sometimes the answer is ‘no’.
Naturally as writers, we’re sensitive flowers and we’ve poured our hearts and hopeful souls into our book baby, but there it is on the email; ‘unfortunately, on this occasion… bla bla…’ and you maybe you feel that jolt to the heart. Or maybe they added nice comments and you thought ‘oh, well…’ but the end result is the same, you’re thrown back on yourself.
One thing I can say having been there is that we tend to take rejection super-personally. I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t self-reflect, or that we shouldn’t be looking to read widely or to focus on upping our game as a writer, just that sometimes there are other factors at work. Perhaps the publishers list is genuinely full, perhaps they already have somebody who’s writing in a similar style, perhaps it isn’t to their taste. Who knows? All I know is, that’s not the end of the road. No way.
I’ll share with you a bit about my own journey to being traditionally published and how it’s taken me down a few dead ends, but for me the key is to say to myself, not ‘that’s it’ but ‘what now?’
The Inkwell Group
I began my journey as a novelist in 2020, having previously written for theatre, TV, and radio. Despite that I’d never faced into the sustained narrative of a 100,000 word novel and was finding the prospect alternatively exciting and terrifying. That first novel I wrote was called ‘Learning to Fly’ and was in the category of Women’s Fiction with a supernatural twist. I finished the first draft then, through The Inkwell Group was advised by Vanessa Fox-O’Loughlin to get a Writer’s Report to spot any holes or inconsistencies. My reader, Mary Stanley pointed out a few jumps in the narrative I hadn’t noticed. Fixing them increased my confidence in sending it out to agents and the book was picked up by my now agent, Ger Nichol of The Book Bureau.
She submitted it, mainly to the UK and while I got back plenty of lovely, enthusiastic responses from publishers, in the end there was no bite. A novel that crossed genres wasn’t something they were willing to take a risk on, especially with a new writer. I sat with my disappointment and confusion for a while, then decided it was time to go back to Inkwell. Following a consultation with Adrian White I decided to self-publish with Kazoo books.
Looking back, it was absolutely the right decision, they produced a beautiful edition which ended up getting a lot of publicity and allowed me among other things, to throw a heart-warming launch. More than anything, it was a morale boost, and a chance to share and find a readership for my book, and as we know, writing is so much about keeping hope alive.
Isobel Mahon: Battling Self-Doubt
But, where to go from there? A part of me was terrified that my first book was just a fluke that I couldn’t repeat, so I plotted my next novel in detail. I know that’s not everyone’s process but it works for me, and as I move through the writing process the characters and narrative naturally fill out. Despite that, I had to plough forward, battling with my self-doubt all the way. I finished the first draft in eight months, during which I took a break as my mother spent time in hospital, and it was submitted to publishers. There were a few rejections, and at that point I began to realise that there were some problems with my formatting.
So… back I went back to Inkwell and once again I got a Reader’s Report from Mary Stanley, who pointed out that I needed to re-draft the book to make it far clearer to read. My heart sank, what a chore! But what was the alternative? So last summer I spent going over and over the book, not changing the actual text but separating everything out so it jumped off the page.
My agent, Ger re-submitted it and four days later we got a response from Embla/Bonnier books to say they were interested. Phew! I was offered a two-book deal which involved bringing out two titles in the genre of Women’s Romantic Fiction in the first year!
There followed the most intense seven months I can remember. I had to plot and write the first draft of the new book, at the same time as do a significant structural edit on the first book, shifting it from the Women’s Fiction category to Romantic Fiction. All during this time the support and encouragement I got from my editor, Stephanie was game-changing, at last I was no longer a lone writer, toiling away in a vacuum with my fingers crossed, hoping somebody might be interested in what I was dreaming up, but now part of a team.
The first book, titled The Meet Cute was released in April, two weeks after my mum passed away, to some lovely reviews thankfully, and the second book, Mr Right All Along is coming out in November in time for Christmas. I’m going to be throwing another launch party then and you’re all invited!
And as for future books, well, they’re still waiting to be dreamed up…
(c) Isobel Mahon
About The Meet Cute by Isobel Mahon:
Dumped, jobless, and now the last of her friends without kids, Cassie is learning that there’s no time like the present to start again . . .
Everyone knows you don’t end a relationship over text. Well, except Gavin the man-child, it seems. When his message arrives after yet another failed audition, Cassie knows there’s only one place she wants to be . . . back home in Dublin, with her Mam bringing her endless cups of tea.
But on the first day of her new dog-walking gig, she’s flattened by the Hound of the Baskervilles himself. Flat on her back in the mud, and thinking she’s not capable of further mortification, Cass knows she’s truly hit rock bottom.
But maybe this is the miracle she’s been waiting for. Because, from where she’s standing (okay, lying), the owner of this giant mutt is actually pretty cute.
And it turns out, not only is Finn extremely cute, but he’s charming and sweet and, over apology coffee, actually seems to listen?
It could be a great story to tell the grandkids one day, but even after the perfect meet cute, Cassie realises that the path to true love is never straightforward . . .
She’s just met the perfect man, but will they get the happy-ever-after they deserve?
Order your copy of The Meet Cute by Isobel Mahon online here.
And read more from Isobel Mahon on Writing.ie here.
