Good Things Come by Sophie Claire

I’m so pleased to tell you I’ve signed a three-book deal with Hodder & Stoughton.

There have been tears of joy, celebrations, and just a few nerves at the prospect of deadlines. 

It’s a dream come true, but it didn’t happen overnight. 

Oh no. 

There’s been so much waiting, nail-biting and doubt along the way, but I hope my story gives comfort to others that there is always hope. 

So here’s how it came about:

A brief background

My first novel, Her Forget-Me-Not Ex, was published in 2015 by a small press. It sold well, much better than I expected in fact, but it had always been my goal to have an agent, so when I finished my second book I sent it out. I signed with Megan Carroll of Watson, Little Literary Agency in March 2016. Megan loved my second book, a summery friends-to-lovers story set in Provence. She approached publishers with it, and although we had a few near misses and really positive feedback, it didn’t sell. I won’t lie, this was disheartening (for both of us – it’s easy to overlook how passionately agents represent their clients and how much work they do on their behalf).

During months of not hearing anything, I had to keep the faith, be patient (I’m not very good at that) and keep writing. 

And then…

On the bright side, the submissions process is a slow one, and by the time Megan had exhausted her list of publishers, I had almost finished writing my third book (a Christmas story, set partly in England and in Provence). I’m glad I did because book 3 attracted more interest, including offers from two publishers. 

Celebrate!

I was utterly thrilled and, after Megan’s call, I confess there were a few tears. This was what I’d been working towards for the last fifteen years, after all.

I signed with Hodder & Stoughton, who will publish The Christmas Holiday in October this year, re-release my first novel (under a new title) next year, and publish a third book which I’m currently writing in time for Christmas 2020. 

Yet to come

I’ve already begun working with my editor and her team, and I’m thrilled with how it’s going. Although I’ve been published before, Hodder & Stoughton is a large traditional publisher, and a lot of the process is new to me. I never realised so much work went into bringing a book to publication beyond the author writing ‘The End’. It’s exciting to be getting input from so many experienced professionals, and I know my book will be all the better for it.

The Novelistas have asked me to blog about the process of bringing a book to publication, so over the next few months I’ll be sharing my experiences with you.

One of the things I love about writing is that I’m constantly learning, and I hope that never stops.

Sophie.x

NCW Graduate Fair 2016 - Part 2: Pitching to Agents by Sophie Claire

On Friday, Sophie Claire and Louise Marley attended the National Creative Writing Graduate Fair at Manchester Metropolitan University. Organised by Comma Press and The Manchester Writing School, there were panels and workshops on a variety of subjects, AND the chance to pitch to a literary agent!

In this post, Sophie shares her experience of pitching to two literary agents.

Pitching One to One:

I must admit, I couldn’t concentrate on the talks and workshops (which Louise blogged about here) because I was so nervous about pitching to agents! I've never pitched 'live' before, so I spent the morning rehearsing in my mind what I wanted to say and trying to anticipate questions the agents might ask. Which was a shame because there were several workshops which looked good – for example,  perfecting your elevator pitch and using social media to support your writing career.

Those of us who chose to pitch to agents were each given two slots – 15 minutes each – with an agent relevant to our genre. It all looked a little intimidating: rows of tables laid out as for school exams, and an organiser blowing her whistle to signal when the 15 minute slots were over. But it turned out that my agent meetings weren’t half as terrifying as I’d expected. Agents are human, after all, and I got the impression I wasn’t the first nervous writer they’d had to deal with! 

So what did we talk about? We discussed my French ancestry and how I draw on this in my writing. We also talked about why I use a pseudonym, what agents are looking for at the moment (they don’t always know until they find it, a compelling hook, voice, heart), and our shared admiration for Jojo Moyes’ books.

I took written copies of my pitch because I tend to muddle my words when I’m nervous, and one agent reassured me that an author isn’t often – if ever – required to pitch their work verbally, and these things are usually done in writing. The only question which I found tricky was ‘sum up the plot for me’. Yikes! I wish I’d answered this more concisely and not missed out some key elements.

When it comes to preparing a pitch for your book, the main thing I took away with me was to look at the blurbs and covers of books in your genre and learn how to tempt your potential reader into wanting to read your book. There are key words and questions in each genre, and common hooks which readers seek out. For example, in psychological thrillers, questions often revolve around ‘Can the protagonist stay alive/solve the puzzle before time runs out?’ (I noticed a lot of fellow writers were working on psychological thrillers). Also, a pitch isn’t about condensing your plot into two lines; it’s about setting up the story, then throwing in a point of intrigue to make the reader want to know more. Here’s a condensed version of the blurb for Paula Hawkins’ Girl On The Train to illustrate:

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses …

And then she sees something shocking.

Approaching an Agent:

We were told several times throughout the day how important the cover letter is when an agent receives your submission, and the key points for a successful one are:

a) Tailor your submission to that agent. Tell them why you’ve chosen to approach them specifically (eg you think your book would fit with their client list, or you've heard they’re looking out for the type of book you’ve written)

b) A concise and compelling hook, which makes them want to read your book

c) Put yourself in their shoes – if they like your book, what will they need to sell it to a publisher? The hook we’ve already mentioned, but also a unique feature which makes your book different from the rest, a description of where it fits in the market (eg: name other books in the same category) or who your potential readers are 

d) Keep it short and relevant.

In Summary:

Chatting to other writers on the day made me realise that we were all nervous about pitching, but I'm so glad I took this opportunity. It was a rare chance to get feedback on my pitch, to make a personal connection with the agents, and to learn more about the business side of publishing.

Have you ever 'live pitched' to an agent? What was your experience like? 

Sophie.x 

Links:

The National Creative Writing Graduate Fair

Comma Press
The Manchester Writing School
Manchester Metropolitan University

Related Posts:

NCW Graduate Fair  2016 - Part 1: Panels & Talks by Louise Marley

How Not to Submit to a Literary Agent by Sophie Claire

Manchester LitFest 2015 by Sophie Claire

Writing: Getting Serious by Louise Marley

How NOT To Submit To An Agent - Reporting Back from York LitFest by Sophie Claire

I’m always keen to attend literary courses and conferences, but this panel discussion looked particularly interesting –  and it didn’t disappoint! 

Part of York Lit Fest, ‘How NOT To Submit To An Agent’ was an event run by the Writers & Artists and, contrary to the rather negative title, it featured a very positive and encouraging panel discussion with literary agents Jo Unwin, Sam Copeland and Sallyanne Sweeney.

Jo Unwin, Sam Copeland, Sallyanne Sweeney

Sam Copeland began by explaining what an agent’s role involves:

Firstly, editorial input. An agent works closely with his author to get the manuscript as perfect as possible. Once this is done, he then sends a pitch letter to the first round of publishers (usually between 8 and 10). If he gets an offer, then he contacts the other editors to let them know (the ideal scenario is to get lots of interest and competition for the book). Then, once an offer is accepted, negotiations begin on the contract. This can take between 2 days and 9 months(!) and the agent’s job at this stage is to ensure his author gets the best terms possible.

But an agent does much more than just negotiate book deals. He also helps his authors plan their careers, brainstorm new ideas, he serves as a sounding board and keeps authors aware of changing trends in the publishing industry. He also deals with publicity, reviews, press enquiries: the list goes on. Crucially, he mediates between authors and their publishers.

Sallyanne Sweeney then gave advice on approaching agents:

Most agencies have a website. Follow their guidelines! (They all vary a little, so give them exactly what they ask for).

Use the Writers & Artists Yearbook or the online service, Agenthunter, to find the right agents for you. Follow agents on Twitter to keep up-to-date with news, but do not pitch to them via Twitter – that’s a big no no!

Query ten agents at a time and make sure they represent your genre. Always address your submission to an individual, and update them if you get interest elsewhere.

Jo Unwin gave us tips for submitting to an agent:

Jo receives 8000 submissions per year. In 2015 she took on 5 authors, and that was a good year. Depressing, I know (but don’t be too disheartened - I'll explain in a moment). Given these statistics, it’s imperative that your submission stands out from the rest!

How NOT to write a query letter

Submission letter

We were given examples of a good query letter, and of a poor one (see left).

Show you’ve done your research about the agent and are certain they are a good match for you (e.g. look at their existing authors). Although it's depressing to learn that your query may be one of 8000, Jo reassured us that by writing a professional letter and abiding by the agent’s guidelines, you considerably increase your chances of being noticed.

Make clear what your book is about and where it fits in the market (ie the genre and/or similar authors). You also need a strong elevator pitch. This is crucial and it's used throughout the selling process, from pitching to publishers to, ultimately, persuading the customer to buy the book. 

It needs to intrigue. And, as with your opening page, it’s worth taking the time to hone this until it’s as good as you can get it.

Jo read out short descriptions of famous books (taken from Amazon – look them up, was her advice) such as Gone Girl, Life of Pi and One Day. The best ones could be condensed into one line. 

For example:

‘Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?’

(Before I Go To Sleep, SJ Watson)

We, the audience, were then invited to test our one-sentence pitches on the panel. (No, I wasn’t brave enough – wish I had been!) They gave constructive feedback, mostly about keeping it simple and clear with an element of intrigue.

Synopsis

Don’t worry too much about the synopsis, was the general message. It is necessary to show that the story is complete, but no one is rejected on the basis of their synopsis. Stick to one or two pages maximum, and include the characters, the setting and the plot’s conclusion – don’t leave it hanging as you would for a blurb.

Opening Chapters

In contrast to the synopsis, make sure your opening page is as polished as possible! Your submission hinges on this and the agents agreed that in 50-75% of cases, they don’t read past the first page of a submission.

They gave us some Do’s and Don’t’s for the opening paragraph:

Do’s: surprise, quirky, confidence, a clear voice, attention-grabbing, atmosphere, emotional connection with the main character, beautiful writing.

Don’t’s: describe a character waking up, describe the weather, a dream, flashback, a character looking at their reflection in the mirror, too many characters all at once, telling not showing, overly florid language, info dump.

Finally, the panel wrapped up with their current wishlists:

Sam would love to receive anything outstanding.

Sallyanne would like anything she can get excited about, or a gorgeous YA love story.

Jo said she never knows what she’s looking for until she finds it!

Sophie Claire's début novel, Her Forget-Me-Not Ex, is available from Amazon

www.sophieclaire.co.uk

The RNA Conference 2015 & Industry Day by Sophie Claire

Sophie Claire

You’d have thought that having attended 6 RNA conferences they would all blend into one, but this year’s was truly memorable, partly because of the journey getting there!

The venue was Queen Mary University of London, and I booked early because an Industry Day was planned for the Friday at which publishers and agents would be taking part in panel discussions and one-to-one appointments (which I blogged about last year). Unfortunately, a tube strike put paid to my plans and turned the journey from Euston into an unwelcome adventure! The taxi I’d booked didn’t turn up, the 205 buses were all full, and the walking route I’d got from the internet wasn’t much use without my Google maps app which wouldn’t cooperate!

Fortunately, a very lovely man at King’s Cross station spotted me looking lost and gave me an alternative bus route which got me to QMU 3 hours late but just in time for dinner (thank you so much, Mr Anonymous!).

The Industry Day was well worth the journey, though, and I got a mine of information from it. First up on the agenda was an Agents’ Panel, How Can Agents Help You? chaired by Carole Blake, and with Tim Bates, Lisa Eveleigh, Hannah Ferguson and Caroline Sheldon.

They were asked how much they edit their clients’ work and the answers were fascinating. Caroline, who previously worked as an editor, initially works with her authors to improve pace and characters but then hands over to the editor. Hannah also gets the book into the best possible shape before sending it to the editor, then takes a back seat. Tim warned that whatever work an author is required to do initially, this will be easy compared to future edits because, as an author’s career progresses, their editor will push to develop them.

And once an author has signed, what can they expect an agent to do for them? Lisa sees her role as to negotiate the best possible terms for her client – not necessarily the biggest advance, but also foreign and film rights, large print etc… Hannah finds that she often has to stand firm because authors can be keen to accept any contract, whereas she takes a long-term view of their best interests. Agents spend around 30% of their time doing editorial work, and 70% taking care of the business side.

After lunch was an Editors’ Panel, The Changing Role of Editors, with Gillian Green (Ebury), Anna Baggaley (Harlequin), Catherine Burke (Sphere) and chaired by Jane Johnson (Harper Collins). Editors' roles have changed dramatically over the last decade or so, along with the publishing industry as a whole.

Asked what they were currently looking for, the editors agreed that they want realistic characters, dialogue and description. Anna looks for something that hooks her. Gillian needs a strong elevator pitch to sell the book to her sales & marketing teams (eg, the book Martian’s pitch was “Robinson Crusoe on Mars”). Jane sometimes feels passionately about a book though it isn’t always clear how to sell it – and these novels, she said, are usually the bestsellers.

Anna wants women’s fiction that you can’t put down, Richard & Judy list-style books, Young Adult for a 12+ audience. Gillian also looks for Richard & Judy books, crossover sci-fi/mainstream, and Catherine wants books which can sell through supermarkets, strong stories with an instant hook because you have a 3-second window of decision when customers are choosing a book. It was agreed that nowadays genre fiction needs a unique selling point (USP), and authors have to be doing something fresh with a tried format.

Gilli Allen, Michaela Weaver, Katie Fforde and me!

This was my first conference as a published writer (a very special feeling and one I won’t forget!), and at the end of the first day my publisher generously hosted a Pimms party by the canal where I met fellow Accent Press authors and the RNA chairman, Katie Fforde (I was a bit starstruck!).

Hazel Cushion, MD of Accent Press

The canal

As always with RNA conferences, I made lots of new friends, including those just starting out in their writing careers. Some seemed a little awed by the set-backs that the journey necessarily involves: the rejections, the failure to place in competitions, critical feedback which has to be taken on the chin (all this still happens when you’re published!). My advice?
Think of it as making a journey during a tube strike! No matter how prepared you are there will be obstacles, but there will also be kind and generous people around to help you (for me, there have been so many it's impossible to list them all but many belong to the RNA - and, of course, the Novelistas!). And if you’re determined to reach your destination, I truly believe you will get there in the end.

Sophie.x

Sophie Claire's first novel, Her Forget-Me-Not Ex, is currently reduced to 99p on Kindle!

Amazon