Poorly-organised thoughts on writing
Today I’m revisiting the popular topic of my new novel – popular, that is, with me. As you might already be aware, I’m trying to plug it as often as possible, because it’s very difficult to get people to buy books by authors they don’t really know, and who aren’t Dan Brown. However, it feels too cynical and not really in the spirit of this blog to keep chucking the Amazon link at people (although we’ll get it out of the way):
…so as a compromise I’m trying every week to tell people a little bit about the book. Also, it’s emerged from the Ten-Year Self-Improvement Challenge that a surprising number of people who read this blog are keen to write themselves – I would say ‘budding writers’ except I find that a horribly patronising term. And some have vowed to pursue this ambition as part of the TYSIC. So I’m hopeful those people might be interested to hear a bit about how I came to write this book, how you get a book published, how you avoid enormous fits of depression at the futility of your efforts, and so on.
Firstly, there is actually a bit of news about the book. It was going to be published in Australia some time around March 2011, a few months after the release here. However, quite a few Aussies have been kind enough to order it in advance, and as a result, the Aus publishers are going to bring it out at the same time as the British edition – that is, August this year. I’ll be coming over to Australia in September in all likelihood, and doing some sort of official book launch in Melbourne and hopefully a couple of other places too. So as well as buying the book online, Aussies will be able to get it in local bookshops from late summer (or, as you call it, late winter) onwards. This is very pleasing and special thanks go to anyone in the Antipodes who’s made the effort to place an order. The central character is Australian and some of the action takes place in Melbourne, so you can’t say I haven’t tried.
And now a bit more information about the novel itself. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s the culmination for me of a quite rocky couple of years in the ‘writing’ part of my career. I’d been with my publishers since I was 22, and written two novels, both of which were quite well reviewed, but sold pretty averagely. I wrote a new novel over the course of 2008 which I was very proud of. My publishers, though, thought it was too ambitious and had no chance of selling, so they dropped me. No-one else would pick up the book, as I now had the unfortunate reputation of having been ‘let go’. I was fairly screwed.
This precipitated a dark period for me, during which I had to face the prospect I might not be able to publish any more books in the foreseeable future and would have to relinquish the most dearly-held part of my ambitions for life, professionally speaking at least. The only possible solutions were to give up, or to write another novel. After flirting with the first option, I took the second. I wrote the new book, ‘Eleven’, in a frenzied period between April and October last year. It was a hard thing to do, because there seemed every chance I’d fail all over again and would have pissed away another six months; and, more to the point, this time it would be nearly impossible to come back again.
However, this time my luck turned; I’ve now got a much better publisher than the previous ones, and even if this book doesn’t sell all that well, at least I will have got it out there. The moral of this little story is the only important tip I can give anyone considering being a writer, which is that you really do have to be hell-bent on it, and keep coming back again and again from rejections. My first novel, Bullet Points, was turned down by 15 out of 17 publishers; the 2008 novel was turned down by everyone; and only this one publisher (Simon and Schuster) were prepared to gamble on the new book, Eleven. These are pretty miserable percentages, but they’re all you need to make headway. You only have to find a very small number of people who believe in what you’re trying to do: that’s one of key lessons I’ve learned from my career so far. But even to get to that stage, you either need elephant-thick skin, or – more likely – you need to be able to fake it.
Enough rattling on from me, I think. This new feature, ‘Poorly-Organised Thoughts About Writing’, returns next week. If you go to the new forum (www.markwatsonfans.com) over the next couple of days, I’ll be posting details of how you can get advance copies of the novel well before it comes out. And keep going with the challenges: whether you’re writing, beekeeping, or travelling to the Gobi Desert I shall expect news by Thursday 11th.
Posted by Ally on March 6, 2010
This has inspired to me (once again) start writing! Thanks for the advice as well. Hopefully (assuming this writing themed blog becomes a regular part of the week) I shall be inspired to write at least once a week from now on!
You should definitely try to come to Sydney if you come down to Aus. It would be awesome! I shall definitely be buying your book though, even if you don’t come to Sydney
Posted by Rachel Winter on March 5, 2010
am rather in awe that you wrote it in 6 months!
but yes like you say it only takes one person or set of people to get behind you and you’ll be okay.
one day I will post you that dvd of rob newmans similar struggles, it’s inspiring stuff.
Posted by Lisa Brunders on March 5, 2010
Hi Mark,
Although I’m not trying to write a novel I still very much enjoy hearing about what you’ve been through, and I greatly admire your resilience. It’s an excellent point you make that it only takes one person to believe in you, and one which can be applied to other situations too, like job hunting, or even romance.
I shall add it to my positive thinking armour, along with not letting your body believe it’s tired – which has been a god-send this sleep-deprived week!
Posted by Mark Watson on March 5, 2010
That is very nice of you, but do concentrate on feeding your family…! x
Posted by Sheri on March 5, 2010
I am actually struggling to feed my family at the moment due to some very poor financial circumstances… and yet I have put an advanced orsder ion to further Mark’s career. I just believe in him that much.
Posted by MrMatt on March 5, 2010
Excellent advice there. Seems that the best thing to do is keep on trying. I am going to pre-order Eleven once I finish this post.
Posted by Ben on March 5, 2010
i spent my afternoon at work wondering what the over-ambitious book was. and will you ever do anything with it, say if you do really well with your new publisher?
Posted by CarlBurktwit on March 5, 2010
Get next week so shall order a copy of Eleven then. Lovely.
Had a unit at uni run by a published author and you’ve confirmed everything I feared the industry would be like. But I admire the part where you said it only takes a few people to believe in what you’re doing. Nice bit of inspiration.
Sorry to pester you again Mark but you asked me to send you a reminder about a possible comment for my newspaper blog, just tell me to shove off if I’m annoying you.
Posted by Ashlea on March 5, 2010
“A Light Hearted Look at Murder” is one of my favourite books, and i’m currently in the midst of finding a copy of “Bullet Points” – Definetely looking forward to “Eleven”.
Posted by Sam on March 5, 2010
I think this begs the question as to what the mystery novel was about and why was it too ambitous? Was it written in binary?
Posted by Ali on March 5, 2010
Have you ever thought about Print On Demand (POD) – where essentially you become your own publisher, and your book will only get printed when someone buys it. I think http://www.lulu.com does it. Hope the book does well
Posted by Ben on March 5, 2010
i’m on my way to pre-order!
so good to hear you talk about writing. i feel perseverence is all i’ve really got on my side, writing wise, so i’m glad that it’s something that matters!
Posted by Michael Grant on March 5, 2010
It’s superb that you got there in the end, Mark – hopefully “Eleven” will be successful enough for your parked novel to become a going concern again.
Did you have anywhere near much trouble getting an agent to represent Bullet Points in the first place, as you later had with publishers? Or did you hit paydirt early with that one?
Posted by Rachael on March 5, 2010
I am looking forward to getting a copy of Eleven, I only wish I could have read the rejected one too.
Posted by Samuel on March 5, 2010
I’m jealous of people who can turn out novels in such a short space of time. Quite a talent, Mr. Watson. My current novel has been on the go (in one form or another) for almost 2 years now and (100,000 words ((in several parts)) and almost as many social events shunned later) it’s still going. Thoroughly looking forward to ‘Eleven’. I’d best get cracking with my TYSIC…
Posted by Emily on March 5, 2010
I’m just impressed you managed to finish (or at least complete a first draft) in 7 months! I’ve been going on mine for about 18 months! Damn.
Thanks for the encouraging words, I’m getting back to the writing NOW (see, already working towards my TYSIC!).
Posted by Keily Geary on March 5, 2010
This will definitely spur me on to get going. And, the books sounds great, I’ve ordered my copy