Category Archives: Clare Langley-Hawthorne

Deadlines

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by Clare Langley-Hawthorne

On Friday, John provided a great blog post responding to specific questions regarding the agent/publication process. One of these questions considered the issue of deadlines – something I want to expand upon today. Deadlines, both those imposed by editors/publishers and those self-imposed, are (I think) one of the defining elements of being a professional (as opposed to hobby) writer. As we certainly can’t rely on customwritingservice.com like so many college students do nowadays.


Deadlines make you both accountable and responsible. But what does that really mean when you aren’t as yet published? It means you know that in order to achieve your larger goal (writing the novel, getting it published etc.) you need to divide the task into manageable chunks and (here is where it gets tricky) you need to meet the deadlines you impose upon yourself. Otherwise you’re just like the billions of amateur writers whining about how ‘one day’ they will write a book but (insert excuse here…) they never seem to get around to it. In today’s post I want to deal with both publisher as well as personal deadlines.


Publisher Imposed Deadlines:


As John said in his blog post on Friday, these deadlines are pretty much inviolable. If, as the author, you miss these then there is a cascading effect on the whole publication cycle. Worse case scenario the publisher views it as a breach of contract and pulls out of the deal. Best case scenario you inconvenience a whole lot of other people. So if you do need to extend, you’d better have a pretty good excuse. 


My rather strict view of deadlines also extends to how you fulfil them. I’ve heard of an author who views the submission date with her publisher with a bit of a shrug – sure, she gets them the manuscript, but she’s not too concerned about making it perfect as she knows the editor will get back to her with comments, so she views the deadline as a necessary evil and continues to work through the book even while waiting for the editor to peruse and comment upon it. I differ on this in that I go into each deal with the belief that, whatever I submit has to be as damn-near-perfect as it possible. To me this is how professionals fulfil their obligations – not with a half-hearted shrug but with a commitment to demonstrating their craft to the highest degree possible.


Of course when it comes to an authors first book, the initial draft manuscript is what was acquired but any amendments to this (based on editorial feedback) should be treated with the same level of professionalism and adherence to deadlines. If an editor doesn’t provide a deadline (which would be highly unusual) then I would request or set one – that way the author remains on track and accountable to a timetable.


So what do you do if you have to seek a deadline extension?


This is where a good agent can act on an author’s behalf to mitigate against this – but the author must still have a genuine excuse for seeking an extension given the potential impact it has on the publisher. When it comes to agents, I would also recommend setting deadlines (for the agent as well as yourself) to ensure there remains a level of responsiveness and accountability that demonstrates an author’s professionalism.


Self-Imposed Deadlines


As a professional writer I like to set myself specific goals for my WIP to keep me on track. Typically I lay out a timetable to complete certain chapters or parts of the books to ensure I don’t face the overwhelming panic of producing a novel. When the tasks ahead are in manageable chunks the path seems far less onerous (or scary). The first thing I do is also set the date I want to get the draft manuscript to my agent and then work backwards from there. 


Sometimes I give my agent an initial deadline for the first 5-10 chapters and the proposed plot outline so I can get his read/feedback on the project ahead. Then I always tell him the date I propose getting the complete manuscript to him – it helps establish my own timetable as well as alerting him to my goal (and, I hope, demonstrate I am tackling it in a serious, professional manner). 


As a terrible procrastinator, self-imposed deadlines are vital to keeping me on track as a professional writer.


So what about you? 
Do you set your own deadlines? Do you meet them? 
Have you ever had to negotiate for a deadline extension from your publisher and if so, how did it go?


Happy New Year from TKZ

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by Clare Langley-Hawthorne

As the author of the first TKZ blog post for the new year let me wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012, full of wild crazy dreams and completed manuscripts! 


Although, I usually start off the year with a list of (often futile) new year resolutions, this year I’ve decided to work on just three key areas (and I confess I’ve nicked these from my sons’ school) – organization, persistence and resilience. So just like ‘Oscar Organization’, ‘Pete Persistence’ and Rosie Resilience’ I am going to tackle the new writing year full-on with optimism and tenacity (hey, it’s only January 2, I can be enthusiastic!)


Given the current state of the world and the in-flux nature of publishing, these also seem like a good triumvirate to take on board. All three are crucial to being a published author (whether indie or traditional) and are the key ingredients to what I like to call ‘bum glue’ – what all writers need to progress from the dream of a novel to an actual, completed manuscript. As I close in on the finish line for my latest WIP, I know that bum glue, which survived the holiday madness, has been vital.


When it comes to the TKZ, I look back at 2011 and am amazed at the breadth of topics covered – though, inevitably, the question of ‘indie versus traditional publishing’ dominated many a ‘comment debate’. So, as the new year commences, I thought I’d find out what you’d like to see more (and less) of in the future from our blog posts. 

  • Are there any areas you think we haven’t adequately covered? (or topics you feel we’ve done to death?!)
  • Do you have burning questions we haven’t addressed? 
  • Would you like us to have more guest bloggers from the industry (editors, agents or publicists for example) or perhaps change the format some weeks (where we give our points of view on one particular topic or question)?
  • Are there any changes/expansions you’d like to see to our existing ‘first-page’ analysis competition? 
  • And given the impending Mayan apocalypse… any last (writing related) requests for us at TKZ?

This is your chance to weigh in on topics/issues or areas you’d like us to cover this year, so let us know! 


Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

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[image4.png]It’s Winter break here at the Kill Zone. During our 2-week hiatus, we’ll be spending time with our families and friends, and celebrating all the traditions that make this time of year so wonderful. We sincerely thank you for visiting our blog and commenting on our rants and raves. We wish you a truly blessed Holiday Season and a prosperous 2012. From Clare, Kathryn, Kathleen, Joe M., Nancy, Michelle, Jordan, John G., Joe H., John M., and James to all our friends and visitors, Seasons Greeting from the Kill Zone.
See you back here on Monday, January 2.

It’s a Wrap!

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As this is my last blog post for 2011 before we go on winter hiatus (or in my case, summer hiatus!) for a couple of weeks, I want to wish everyone all the best for the holidays. We’ve had another amazing year blogging at TKZ. For me 2011 was a period of readjustment – to life back in Australia (still a challenge as I miss California!) and to my sons starting school. It took a while to get back into my writing routine since the move, especially with all the work that was done to the house after we flooded in February, but I think I am finally on track…just as my boys are off on holidays for 8 weeks:)

One of the greatest things about this year is watching both my sons become avid readers and lovers of books. From being engrossed listening to Harry Potter in the car to sitting reading in bed at night, they have both embraced literature in a way that has amazed even me (especially given all the negativity in the media about children and reading). It has also been exciting for me to discover a new generation of children’s books (and a great excuse to read them for myself!).

The year also brought with it the challenge of dealing with people who have a less enlightened view of the world of literature and writing. Just yesterday another mother said to me (when we were trying to arrange picking up a lost sweater) “unlike you, the rest of us have day jobs.” That brought me back down to earth with a smack!

So what was the most memorable thing about 2011 for you?

What writing success will you celebrate?

These holidays I am going to celebrate nurturing a love of reading, the fact that I am at page 230 of my current WIP, and that I get to pursue my dreams every single day – all it takes is a blank page and my imagination (take that day-job naysayers!)

Reasons not to Self-Publish?

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By Clare Langley-Hawthorne

Last week I read a blog post by Edan Lepucki entitled Reasons not to Self-Publish and it prompted me, yet again, to consider the pros and cons of going it alone. As James Bell discussed in his TKZ blog post yesterday if you decide to go the ‘indie’ route be sure to start with your eyes wide open as not every adventure into the forest ends happily. But as Lepucki explains there are reasons why some authors decide to stick with the traditional route despite the positive experiences of some on the indie side.

At the risk of raising the ire of a few writers who have very determined opinions, I thought I’d explore some of the reasons that resonated with me. I suggest if you’re interested you read the original post to see all eight items on her list (some of which are more controversial than others judging by the comments!). I have highlighted (and paraphrased) just some of Lepucki’s reasons…those which speak to my own confusion/dilemma over the best road ahead… and apologies to Lepucki as I have also renamed her list items to accord with my own views)

1. A traditional publisher often gets it right…

The first reason on Lepucki’s list is entitled “I guess I am not a hater” and like her, I guess I don’t have any negativity towards the publishing industry. My experience has been very positive – with agents, editors and publicists all eager to do their very best for an author despite the business imperatives of the industry.

More controversially, Lepucki states “I want a reputable publishing house standing behind my book; I want them to tell you it’s so good so that I don’t have to.” Now this may say a lot about my own self-confidence, but this statement did resonate with me. I understand her need for validation. It’s what has always made me hesitant about self-publishing. Even though it’s probably a bit dorky to admit it, I wonder how many other writers feel the same?

2. The conversation about self-publishing often ignores the role of smaller independent publishing houses.

Lupecki rightly points out that these independent presses offer a great option for authors. They tend to be well-respected and provide a specific brand and identity that can give an author an opportunity to get their work out there even if they don’t meet the formula for a bigger house. Lupecki argues that these small presses provide a level of ‘legitimacy’ and quality control suggesting again the importance of having a traditional-style publisher backing an author.

In previous blog posts about the current publishing industry we haven’t really touched on the role of these smaller presses (sadly, many of which have closed due to the harsh economics of running such an operation) so I would be interested in hearing opinions on the role and value of the small independent presses in the current market.

3. The conversation overlooks the value of the publishing community

Lupecki quotes Peter Straub’s acknowledgement of the invaluable contributions made by editors and copy-editors to his books and goes on to describe how helpful some of the comments made by editors rejecting her first novel were. In many ways, much of what Lupecki argues comes down to the same issue of mentoring that James Bell discussed in his blog post yesterday.

I do think she asks an important question when it comes to writers hiring their own editors and copy editors: How is that role affected by the fact that they are being paid by the writer him/herself? What, Lupecki asks, if the hired editor told you not to publish?

Having only worked with editors from my publisher I don’t know the answer to this – have any of you hired an editor only to have them recommend against publication as the work wasn’t up to snuff? And if so, did you take their advice or go ahead and submit or self-publish it?

4. The e-reading conundrum

Lupecki argues that while she doesn’t mind if Amazon is just one of the places to purchase her work she is worried about Amazon monopolizing the reading landscape. Her concern certainly resonates with me – I would hate to find the traditional publishers being replaced by a monolithic self-publisher either. But what do you think – is this a legitimate concern? While I would argue this isn’t really a reason against self-publishing (there are other avenues available, after all, not just Amazon), I think her fear of Amazon’s potential power in the marketplace is valid.

5. Is the self-publishing boom best for readers?

Now this is a tricky question and I think in many ways this goes back to Lupecki’s need for validation – but as a reader I certainly don’t want to wade through thousands of unfiltered self-published novels without any guide as to quality. I do think, however, (and TKZ have touched upon this in many previous blog posts), that as the digital industry matures, there will be more self-selection/review options which will help guide readers to quality work.

So what do you think about Lupecki’s reasons against self-publishing?

Book Group Etiquette

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My mother-in-law’s book group has kindly asked me to come visit next year which has prompted me to think about authors and book group etiquette. Thus far, I have been incredibly lucky that the book groups I have visited have loved my books (or at least pretended to!) so I have never faced that awkward moment of realization that someone found my books…er…’lacking’.

As a member of a book group myself I have, however, been known to initiate some pretty ‘lively’ (and negative) debates over the merits of a particular book. So what is the etiquette for author visits to book groups? How do participants and authors handle the fact that not everyone is going to like a book?

When I visit a book group I usually focus on the inspiration for my books and the writing process or writing life itself. Very rarely do I enter into a debate over the merits (or otherwise) of my writing. I wonder, however, have I just been lucky? Is the day of reckoning going to come when I have to face the hard questions? And how, assuming that day does come, should I react?

So here are some questions for authors and readers alike:
  • Have you ever had an author visit to a book group that ended badly?
  • How should book groups handle an author visit when not everyone likes the books (which, lets face it, is 99.9% of the time)?
Now obviously we all expect a modicum of decency and respect…but apart from that what should the etiquette be (for book groups and authors alike)?



NaNoWriMo Writing Tips

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by Clare Langley-Hawthorne

So it’s that time of year again – National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) – and I’ve been looking over some of the tips and advice metered out to those willing to give it a go. I thought today I would highlight five of the more useful ones I’ve seen and get feedback on what advice other people have found helpful – because most of this is just as applicable to writers surging ahead with NaNoWriMo as to those of us plodding along at our own pace:)

1. Remove all distractions that clutter both your mind and your desk.

I think one of the hardest things for most aspiring writers to do is to make time to write – and once you have committed to doing this you really have to remove all the things that provide the temptation to procrastinate, get distracted or avoid writing. During NaNoWriMo I notice lots of tips that focus on preparation and inspiration but I think it’s also important not to get caught up in mind maps, name generators, role playing or brainstorming to the point where you aren’t actually writing!

2. Learn from your mistakes (and you’ll make them)

Everyone writes crappy first drafts, includes a few cliches and loses the plot at some time or other. Give yourself permission to make mistakes and turn off that ‘inner editor’ until the first draft is done. I like one of last year’s tips by author Elif Batuman who said ‘everyone has a certain amount of bad writing to get out of their system’ – so get it out!

3. Raise questions early, resolve later on

One of the dullest things you can do is inundate your readers with too much information/answers too early on. You need to entice and intrigue and the best way to do this is by raising questions early on in the book so readers have to keep reading to find out the answers. Of course, this has to be balanced with a well grounded narrative structure, voice, characters and sense of place otherwise readers will merely wonder what the hell is going on:)

3. Constantly raise the stakes

I’ve heard Donald Maas talk about this at writing conferences in terms of making a ‘bigger’ book in which the stakes are the highest they can possibly be for the characters you have developed. A good writer constantly raises the stakes -in each scene and each chapter – to really create a scenario that truly grips the reader. It also helps provide great opportunities for character development – there’s nothing like seeing a character react to a life and death situation to reveal what really makes them tick!

4. Keep the momentum going

Everyone gets stuck at some point in the writing process – whether it be finding inspiration, nutting out a tricky plot question or just trying to find words that don’t totally suck! NaNoWriMo strikes me as the perfect laboratory for exploring all the techniques you need to overcome writer’s inertia. For me inspiration usually comes from rereading the last few chapters so I can get back into the flow or, failing that, take the dog for a walk and free up my imagination. The key is not to spend so much time reinvigorating yourself that you don’t actually sit back down again and write!

5. Don’t Finish

I saw this on GalleyCat’s list from last year and thought this was great advice – “Don’t finish, make it the start of something.”

NaNoWriMo is a great jumping off point for people to make great headway on their novel but then the real hard work of editing and polishing begins. I like to think that for many aspiring writers NaNoWriMo is the start of a beautiful long term relationship with writing rather than just a mere fling:)

So are you doing NaNoWriMo this month? If so, how is it going? What piece of advice has worked best for you?


Kindle Lending Library Controversy

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So unless you have been hiding under a rock (and sometimes with all the changes in the industry I would like to do this!) you will have heard that Amazon is offering to lend e-books to its Kindle-owning Prime members for free. Since then a number of issues have been raised which I think, quite rightly, places the spotlight on just how authors are going to be fairly compensated for this.

The Association of Authors’ representatives (AAR) has issued a statement stating: “The agent and author community have not been consulted about this new sort of use of authors’ copyrighted material and are unaware of how publishers plan on compensating authors for this…”

From what I have read publishers (those that consented to be in the program, at least) are being paid a lump sum for inclusion in the e-book lending library no matter how many times their titles are borrowed. Other publishers, who have apparently not been contacted (!) or consented (!), will be paid the wholesale price for the ebook any time someone borrows it. But what about the authors?

Here are some of the issues as I see them (and I would love your input on any or all of these):
  • Is what Amazon is proposing even covered by the publisher-agent contract? The AAR statement states that they think “free lending of an author’s work as an incentive to purchase a (kindle) device and /or participation in a program (i.e. Amazon’s Prime) is not covered by most contracts – nor do most contracts have any stipulation for how an author would be compensated for such use.”
  • What is the basis for author compensation? If a publisher receive a flat fee, how will that be allocated to the author? Again, the AAR seem to believe that there is really no basis for either distributing this income to authors or for determining how much authors would get as an aggregate sum in the first place for their work being in Amazon’s ‘library’ program.
  • What will be the impact on ebook sales and prices? Will Amazon’s move further devalue books? Will it decrease the price people are willing to pay for ebooks (“hey, I could have borrowed it for free!”)? Obviously we already have physical libraries where people borrow books but still, I think Amazon’s program is a significant new step. My understanding is that many of the ‘big’ 6 publishers have not agreed to be part of the Kindle lending library program – presumably over fear it would impact sales or devalue their books – but given Amazon’s clout (and willingness in the past to shut publishers out) will they feel pressured to join? Also, finally…
  • Is it a good thing that Amazon now has so much market power – both in terms of retailing and publishing?
What do you think? Sure, it’s great for Amazon Prime members who own a Kindle but what about for authors? Is it nothing more than storm in a teacup or yet another example of authors being screwed?

All Hallows Read

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In honor of tonight’s Halloween, I thought I would plug a great idea touted by Neil Gaiman, called All Hallows Read. His premise is outlined in a recent blog post and even has its own website now. The premise is frightfully simple – give a person a scary book to read for Halloween. Not instead of trick or treating mind you (perish the thought!) but as an opportunity to encourage reading (and we certainly need more of those!).

In Australia, Halloween is pretty much a non-event with hardly anyone bothering to decorate their houses and even less bothering to hand out candy. The American Women’s Auxiliary here in Melbourne (of which I am the proud, if inept, secretary) holds an annual ‘trunk or treat’ event to provide the necessary Halloween candy fix. Basically about 100 cars roll up, open their decorated trunks and provide a kind of automotive neighborhood for kids to trick of treat along. My boys LOVE it and we now have enough candy to eat for an entire year. If only I had heard of Neil Gaiman’s great idea, I would have suggested we hold an All Hallows Read event alongside it. That would have been pretty cool.

I also think the concept of All Hallows Read is a great one and it’s got me thinking about the scariest books I’ve ever read. Given I have an exceptionally low tolerance to gore and horror, my ‘scariest books’ are pretty tame. Even my 6 year old sons would no doubt scoff at my cowardice…but I remember getting chills reading Rebecca as a teenager and the early Patricia Cornwall novels in my twenties. Last year Justin Cronin’s The Passage had me pretty spooked (but in a more distant, cerebral way than the scream-out-loud variety).

Given I am such a wimp, I could do with your help and advice:

What book would you chose to give for All Hallows Read (could be either an adult or a children’s book)

Which book was the scariest you ever read?

Has there ever been a book so terrifying that you couldn’t even finish it?

Happy Halloween!

Podcasts, Research and Marketing

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by Clare Langley-Hawthorne

Ever since I purchased my iPhone and iPad a year and a bit ago, I have become a podcast junkie. I listen to them in the car, while cooking, even while walking the dog, if the mood so inspires me. I simply cannot imagine my life without listening to podcasts (of course, that might also be because Australian radio totally sucks!) After our recent blog discussions on ‘discoverability’ and the ebook revolution, I started thinking about all value of podcasts in terms of research, marketing and publicity for authors. Although I haven’t (as yet) done my own podcasts, I can definitely see a role for them in the future for many authors.

Already I find podcasts are a great source of research and ‘idea generation’ – granted that is probably because, as a writer of historical fiction, I find the BBC History Magazine, BBC Witness, History of the World in 100 Objects and British Library podcasts so invaluable. I can be driving in my car when suddenly I hear a segment and I think – wow, file that away for a future novel!

I also hear about a good many books that I end up purchasing via podcasts. It might be a review on the New York Times Book Review podcast or on an NPR podcast or it might be through an author interview. Though it is just as hard to get these review/publicity opportunities for authors, I do think the wealth of podcasts out there widens the options for many authors seeking to publicize or discuss their novels.

Which leads me to the plethora of author options when it comes to podcasts. These include doing some yourself (either interviews or book readings) or appearing/speaking on other people’s podcasts. There is even an option of publicizing author book tours this way ( Such as the Tattered Cover bookstore’s authors on tour live podcast or Barnes and Noble’s video podcasts). Apple even has its own “Meet the Author” podcast series and, for mystery writers the ‘Behind the Black Mask‘ podcast series. I am sure this is just the tip of the podcast iceberg…and so, as I delve further into the podcast opportunities that abound, I’d like your feedback…
  • Have you incorporated podcasts into your marketing or promotional efforts, and if so how?
  • Which author/writer podcasts do you listen to?
  • Are there any podcasts that influence your book buying decisions?
  • How do you think authors might be able to use their podcasts to help increase their ‘discoverability’? (Secretly I am hoping my sexy Australian accent will by ticket to my success:)!)
And finally, TKZers, what do you think? Maybe we should expand our repertoire into podcasting?