Welcome to the final part of my five-part* series about becoming a debut novelist.
I love writing, publishing, and winning competitions with all my short stories… Still when I go to sleep at night, I dream about the day when my novels will be read by, you know, readers – and not just sat on my computer!
But will the reality of becoming a debut novelist actually live up to my expectations?
To find out I asked five* authors – all with debut novels releasing either this year or early next year. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been featuring their answers here. In my first four posts, I interviewed Nina D’Aleo, Susanna Freymark, Kylie Scott and Monique McDonell about their experiences with Momentum Books, Pan Macmillan and self publishing. Read their answers here, here, here and here.
Now it’s time to ask debut novelist Bruce Lyman about his experience…
Part Five: Bruce Lyman
Bruce’s novel Flowers of Baghdad was released this September. Yay – congratulations Bruce!
Flowers of Baghdad by Bruce Lyman
Novel: Flowers of Baghdad
Release date: 1st September 2012
Published through: Harper Collins
One-sentence description: A breathtaking and heartwrenching novel in the tradition of The Kite Runner, with a story that brings the lives of ordinary people in strife-torn Baghdad luminously into focus.
Hi Bruce, and thanks for taking part in this series… Now let’s get stuck in!
Bruce Lyman
1. Most of the debut authors I know always look tired. What’s been the hardest part of getting your novel ready for its release?
The editing gestation. That 80/20 rule of life applies here too – 80% of the writing was done in 20% of the time; the editing took 80% of the time but was only 20% of the effort. Or so it seemed.
2. When I hear debut authors talking about their publishing experience, they often sound relieved. Maybe you could share your timeline with us?
a. When did you first conceive the concept for your novel?
I visited Baghdad for a month in October 2007, the novel idea grew over the next twelve months and I sat down and wrote it over a four week period in November 2008.
b. How long did it take you to learn the craft of novel writing?
A lifetime I suspect. Narrative has always been strong; I spent the last two years finessing my dialogue skills.
c. How long from final polish to publication?
Only about two months.
3. How many other publishing options did you explore before embarking on this particular one?
I mailed a synopsis and the first few chapters to four other possible publishers. For a very brief nanosecond I considered self publishing.
4. What’s been the easiest part of the process for you?
Writing the story. Those characters were very real to me and it helped that many of the events in the story were things I experienced in a city at war.
5. Apart from editing your manuscript until your eyes bleed, what else have you needed to do towards publishing your novel? Read and sign legal contracts?
Yes – though I have a strong business background and the contracts were very straight forward.
Write and approve marketing materials?
Not really – Harper Collins have looked after that in a very sound, commercial way. I thought it unusual that the publisher wanted to involve me in the final cover design. Given I have a very artistic eye and a strong view about covers I was not only pleased with that but relieved, and delighted with their cover proposal. I was also pleased to be able to meet their sales and editing staff early on. That gave me a lot of confidence in the publishing process.
6. What promotional activities do you have planned to help launch your novel?
These activities are really in the hands of the publishers but I have organised a book launch and there are some radio interviews being lined up. A number of reviewers are committed to supporting the e-book versions with their comments, though of course I have no idea yet what flavour their comments will take.
7. What aspects have you found most difficult this time around, which you don’t anticipate will be so tricky next time you publish a novel?
Finding a publisher!
8. Which leads me to ask what’s next? What will be your next writing project and how long will it be before its ready for the world?
This novel is actually the second one I have written. The first, which has been finely ground over a number of years, is getting its final tweaks ready for the publisher even as I write this. As for being ready for the world well, that’s entirely up to the publisher. And a third novel is already well on its way.
9. Finally, if you had just one piece of advice for those of us still out here waiting to have our brilliant debut novels published, what would it be?
The discovery for me as a male author is to make yourself a bit vulnerable in your writing – readers have resonated with that emotion. Don’t put your heart into your writing. Put you writing into your heart – then open it up for people to see. The rest just seems to follow.
Thank you, Bruce!
What about you? Are you a debut novelist with experiences to share? Or perhaps something in these posts has surprised you? Let me know in the comments below!
*STOP PRESS: Due to the success of my debut author series, there will be two extra interviews in the coming weeks! A debut author from Ticonderoga Publications will join one more Harper Collins author. Subscribe using the ‘More Please’ widget above to find out when their interviews will appear, or just keep your eye on Twitter or Facebook.
“Don’t put your heart into your writing. Put you writing into your heart – then open it up for people to see.”
A brilliant way to end this series – thanks, Zena and Bruce.
Well hold onto your seat, Lizabelle! There’s two more authors joining the series. Watch this space… 🙂
Haha, I missed that part. Excellent – look forward to it. 🙂
Thanks Zena. It’s been an interesting experience alright. Since the book has hit the streets I have been doubly motivated to finish the second. But ironically I am finding myself a bit intimidated by that first book too – what if I can’t replicate its success. The second one seems more risky than the first. Weird huh?!
I’ve heard many writers say the same thing, Bruce. So don’t worry! I’m sure you’ll put just as much heart into the second book, and it will only complement your debut 🙂
Phew! 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Bruce. Your journey from writing to publication seemed to take a lot less time than “the average.” Is there anything you can tell us about this (beyond having a fabulous story and amazing writing skills)?
How much do you think writing about that part of the world played in the choice of publishers you approached, and how did you go about finding the publishers and agents you approached?
Thanks for the encouragement Diane – when I know how much I labour over those words I am reluctant to say anything positive about writing skills.
I am not sure about the condensed timeline. It did in fact take quite a while to get into print though that was partly due to factors outside my control and outside the control of the publisher too. Perhaps the only insight I can offer is the feedback from the publisher who felt the manuscript was submitted in a well prepared state, more so than the average. Mind you, every time I entered yet another round of edits with them I wondered how that could be the case!
Finding the publisher was straight forward. I started with a book of publishers but that was not very helpful (giving very generic guidance and postal addresses and advising “no unsolicited manscripts please”). So I put that aside and took a notebook to the bookshops and wandered through a handful of them, finding fiction I thought was similar to mine and noting the publishers. That gave me a short-list of four. In the end, as I was in the process of mailing applications out, one of those four was introduced to me at a function and the rest is… a publishing story.
I don’t think that writing about that part of the world influenced my choice of publisher. Not at a conscious level at least. I was looking for a publisher who would tune into the humanity themes – those things about life that are precious to us all, regardless of where we live. I am happy to concede, though, that the exotic setting may have had some appeal for the publisher.
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