I'm a traditionally published author of commercial fiction - AMA

[charduck]

I was reading this thread with interest:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/what_were_reading/4342858-AIBU-to-have-had-a-gut-full-of-psychological-thrillers

And I noticed a few requests for an author to do an AMA!

So here I am!

I write psych suspense, have had three novels published, with my fourth out in a few weeks. My last book was a bestseller both here and in the US.

Happy to answer anything I'm allowed to!

@MintyCedric

How long did it take you to find an agent and did you have a complete manuscript first?

I got my agent quite quickly but it was quite an unusual situation. I subbed to a few agents in an initial batch and one of them liked my book but didn't want to take me on as it wasn't really his thing. He recommended me to my agent, who at the time was new and starting to build her list, and she offered me rep.

I had a finished MS yes.

Will you include the pandemic in a future book or will you ‘ignore’ it? I’m really interested to hear how authors will incorporate the past few years in their writing - or not!

@CatonMat

Do you follow a tried and tested pattern in your books? Do you set out to include particular formulae, or do they meander along the own paths?

Hmm, that's an interesting question! Not exactly a formula, but I am aware of the need for twists in the genre I write, or at least satisfying reveals, and so this is something I take into consideration before I start writing. But no, all my books are quite different structurally, although they have a common theme.

Great thread, very interesting topic! A few questions if I can:

If a book sells for £8, for example, how much of that comes to you?

When you begin writing a book do you already know the ending or does it play out as you write?

Is this your full time job? If you previously wrote books alongside another paying job, how many books did you publish before you decided to be a full time author?

@user1471504210

Will you include the pandemic in a future book or will you ‘ignore’ it? I’m really interested to hear how authors will incorporate the past few years in their writing - or not!

For the book that's coming out in December, in the first draft I did include the pandemic (as a bit of a background thing) and my agent said absolutely not, take it out! I don't think publishers want pandemic books. Writer friends also pointed out that it will date books in the long run. It's a bit weird though - you won't get many novels set in 2020!

Are you in North London? If so, I know who you are.

@imnotacelebritygetmeoutofhere

Great thread, very interesting topic! A few questions if I can:

If a book sells for £8, for example, how much of that comes to you?

When you begin writing a book do you already know the ending or does it play out as you write?

Is this your full time job? If you previously wrote books alongside another paying job, how many books did you publish before you decided to be a full time author?

I'm ashamed to say I honestly don't know how much I get on an £8 book. It depends on so many variables. My guess would be - not much!

When I start writing I have a vague idea of the end but I'm not a plotter, and I do find the characters surprise me.

It's not my full-time job. It technically could be, but I think I would go mad! I have another lovely job I do 30% of the time that keeps me sane. I could have probably given up after my first book deal, but that wouldn't have been very sensible, as I think until you have a few books under your belt, it's too risky.

@KaptainKaveman

Are you in North London? If so, I know who you are.

Ha, no! I'm not that fancy. I used to live in London but it was very much south

Do you have a set amount of words you aim for a day or set aside a certain amount of time per day for writing?

@Blueskip

Do you have a set amount of words you aim for a day or set aside a certain amount of time per day for writing?

Yes. I've got a young daughter and I can only write when she's out of the house! So at the moment, I'm writing 3000 words a day while she's at school, in the hope of getting a draft down in 6 weeks. I wouldn't recommend this though. I usually aim for 2000 words a day.

Is it easy to meet deadlines? And if yes, what is your secret?

How did you find a good agent? I've got a children's book ready to publish and would rather use an agent than self publish

@Cheesecake53

Is it easy to meet deadlines? And if yes, what is your secret?

I do find it easy but I think it's because I was a journalist for a long time. My secret is that writing is my priority! Other than my family, it takes precedence over everything...

Does your name begin with M? I can't quite remember it. Hmm maybe initials MT?

If so, I've read all your books and enjoyed them. I had to suspend my disbelief a little but that's what I like to do when reading anyway. They had me gripped anyway!

@debbs77

How did you find a good agent? I've got a children's book ready to publish and would rather use an agent than self publish

This is a good article on finding an agent: jerichowriters.com/how-to-get-a-literary-agent/

Also, lots and lots of agents are on Twitter. And always good to see which agents represent similar authors to you, and sub to them. The old-fashioned way is the Writers and Artists Yearbook, which lists all the agents in the UK and what they rep, and that's what I used many moons ago.

@PickleTheWonderCat

Does your name begin with M? I can't quite remember it. Hmm maybe initials MT?

If so, I've read all your books and enjoyed them. I had to suspend my disbelief a little but that's what I like to do when reading anyway. They had me gripped anyway!

Ha no! But now I'm intrigued!

Have you had other usernames? I want to know if I've read your stuff before. If I have, I bloody loved it 😂

I'm thinking of Mary Torjussen. So if you're not her, the similarities are definitely there

Anyway - I like Mary's books. Just in case you're double bluffing me

@MimsyBorogroves

Have you had other usernames? I want to know if I've read your stuff before. If I have, I bloody loved it 😂

This is my first ever Mumsnet thread/post. Long-time lurker though!

Do you ever think of your earnings as an hourly or daily rate?

If so, would you tell us what it is?

@PickleTheWonderCat

I'm thinking of Mary Torjussen. So if you're not her, the similarities are definitely there

Anyway - I like Mary's books. Just in case you're double bluffing me

I know Mary! She's brilliant. Not me though!

@DaisyNGO

Do you ever think of your earnings as an hourly or daily rate?

If so, would you tell us what it is?

Funnily enough, my dad worked this out recently! It was about £25ph.

56 days by katherine ryan (?) draws in the pandemic as a plot device and has sold well.im half way through it

Thank you for starting this! I'm a freelance copy-editor. I work with some big publishers, including Hachette and Little, Brown, as well as with a lot of self-publishing authors. Could you tell me about your experience of having your book sedited? Do you enjoy it? What do you enjoy most/least about it?

And I love psychological thrillers. Who are you? 😉

Who are your favourite authors in the genre?

Edited, not sedited, ffs!