| > | | | | Publishers are going to find it hard to 'jump on the |
| Unpublished authors are swamped by advice. Is | | | | bandwagon', but what could an Internet Author |
| any of it any good? Internet Author Mike | | | | do? The answer is quite a lot. It seems, in fact, |
| Scantlebury comes out swinging, challenging the | | | | that the Inquest is scheduled to rumble on for |
| idea that 'timing is everything', especially away | | | | another six months. Plenty of time to finish the |
| from the world of Traditional Publishing and out on | | | | first draft and get it published at an on-line, |
| the frontier of writing and the internet. It's a | | | | on-demand publisher like Lulu. That means, yes, |
| thrilling world out there, full of possibilities. Try it! | | | | the Internet Author could make use of the 'timing' |
| Of all the useless advice given to would-be | | | | advice and make their 'Diana' novel available while |
| authors, perhaps the most unhelpful is the idea | | | | her name is still in the news. Quite an opportunity! |
| that to be a successful author you need 'timing'. | | | | Anybody but me willing to give it a go? |
| That is, your great idea for a novel has to hit the | | | | Well, maybe, not me. Because I've got an even |
| public consciousness at a time that makes your | | | | more interesting opportunity that has arisen |
| story relevant to them. An example might be, for | | | | recently. A friend of mine took part in a TV |
| instance, that right now, in the autumn months of | | | | documentary earlier this year. The programme is |
| 2007, I'm working on a thriller that starts from | | | | part of a series that will be going out soon. The |
| the proposition that Princess Diana was | | | | date, for broadcast on national television, hasn't |
| deliberately murdered in 1997 in Paris by a | | | | been agreed but will probably be in later October. |
| combination of national security organisations. I | | | | In August I got the idea of writing his biography, |
| started working on a synopsis a couple of months | | | | (or, more accurately, his Autobiography, partly |
| ago, and I've got a number of chapters under my | | | | written with my help). In terms of Traditional |
| belt. Now I look at the TV News and notice that | | | | Publishers, this is a ridiculous timetable. Not so for |
| a new Inquest has started in London into the | | | | the Internet Author. The first draft of the book |
| death of the Royal lady. What luck! Well, no. If my | | | | was put together in September, and loaded up |
| book was in the bookshop right now at this | | | | onto Lulu at the beginning of October. My vision is |
| moment in time then it might attract attention | | | | this: my friend will be interviewed on the 'Richard |
| and, possibly, sales. But it won't even be finished | | | | and Judy' TV chat show later in the month. They'll |
| for a few months. By the time it gets to the | | | | be keen to hear about his TV programme. They'll |
| publisher even if they like it, which they might | | | | notice he has had a pretty exciting and interesting |
| not it would take a Traditional Publisher many | | | | life. 'Yes, Judy,' he will say, 'and I've written about |
| months to get it ready for publication. Judging by | | | | it.' At that point he will hand her a brightly coloured |
| their usual timescales, they might get the new | | | | paperback book. Richard and Judy love books. |
| book onto the bookshelves by, say, Christmas | | | | They accept the copy being offered and agree to |
| 2008. Woops, the moment has passed. Timing is | | | | read it. Later in the year, they review it. My friend |
| everything, say the advisors. You should have got | | | | is invited back onto the show to discuss it. His |
| the book written last year, then it would be ready | | | | career takes off. The rest is history. |
| for when it is really needed. Like, now. | | | | There is a theme here. It's simply this: in the |
| Great. Good advice. That is, if I could have seen | | | | world of Traditional Publishing, it's a heck of a long |
| into the future or, more unlikely, guessed that an | | | | timeframe from the finish of writing a manuscript |
| Inquest would ever take place in England. Last | | | | to getting the book printed, distributed and on the |
| year, no one believed it was possible. After all, the | | | | bookshop's shelves. In that world, it's sheer luck |
| idea had been around for nearly a decade and the | | | | whether the new novel arrives at a time that is in |
| authorities kept refusing it. Who could have | | | | any way relevant to the readers. Those who get |
| foreseen it would happen? Worse, who would risk | | | | the luck are said to have 'good timing'. However, |
| their time and imagination creating a novel about | | | | in the world of the Internet Author, it's a darn |
| Lady Di just in case it became topical. Not many | | | | sight quicker from manuscript to print, which |
| authors would bend their creative will to such an | | | | means that timing hardly matters. In real terms, a |
| eventuality. Better to write the book you really | | | | matter of months is nothing, but that's how long |
| want to write, not the one you hope that the | | | | the internet publishing process can take from |
| public will enjoy. After all, synchronicity is very | | | | start to finish. |
| rare, very rare indeed. I know of only one real-life | | | | Another good reason for would-be writers to look |
| example. An author in England, now famous for | | | | first at the internet, rather than the |
| his Science Fiction, wrote an adventure back in | | | | oft-advertised claims of the Traditional Publisher. |
| the 1970s about a war in the South Atlantic. | | | | Think about it. You read the newspaper, you |
| Publishers rejected it, but when the Falklands War | | | | watch the TV News. It gives you an idea for a |
| broke out in 1982, they dug it out, dusted it off, | | | | book. Great. You might just be able maybe |
| and published it to great success. Much money | | | | with a bit of luck to succeed in getting your |
| was made. So was the writer. His career was | | | | novel written, published and in the public eye |
| launched, from that day. | | | | before the news item goes completely |
| Back to Princess Diana. Okay, so Traditional | | | | out-of-date. What an opportunity that is! |