I'm a Sunday Times bestselling thriller author

[BestsellingAuthor101]

I saw the other thread by the author and found it interesting. Thought I'd throw my hat in the ring here.

I'm published by Penguin Random House. I've published between 6 and 10 Sunday Times bestsellers (vague due to outing - I can be much more candid on my answers if I am not outed). I'm a woman. They're psychological thrillers. I am a full-time writer. I quit a professional career when my books sold well, and I now live off the writing income. AMA.

Thank you for the fascinating answers. Do you contribute to regular threads on MN?

This is a great thread.

Aspiring writer here - so glad to have read this thread. Thank you for taking the time to answer everyone's questions, OP. It's really inspiring.

I have a question: I wrote my first novel five or so years ago, I've drafted and redrafted it so what I have now is probably draft 4. I sent it out to three agents and got three polite rejections. I can't decide whether to keep sending it out or just draw a line under it and try to write a better book. I've written lots of short stories since and started on a new novel.

Anyway, this is all very long-winded but essentially how do you decide when to just drop something you've written and move on?

Hi op, if you're still answering questions, I'd be grateful to hear your answers 🙂 I'm currently writing two historical fiction novels, I've got one which has reached 340 pages but really needs a rewrite and another which is only around 60 so far.

1. How many books did you try to pitch to agents before getting one accepted?
2. I have the next 18 months at home with my son (18 months old), before I go back to work. I plan to have both my books finished and sent out to agents. Do you have any advice to take advantage of the time?
3. Do you feel like you have stability in your career? Or do you worry the ideas will stop coming?

Thank you and I think it's great you're doing what you love for a living

@Opus17

Hi op, if you're still answering questions, I'd be grateful to hear your answers 🙂 I'm currently writing two historical fiction novels, I've got one which has reached 340 pages but really needs a rewrite and another which is only around 60 so far.

1. How many books did you try to pitch to agents before getting one accepted?
2. I have the next 18 months at home with my son (18 months old), before I go back to work. I plan to have both my books finished and sent out to agents. Do you have any advice to take advantage of the time?
3. Do you feel like you have stability in your career? Or do you worry the ideas will stop coming?

Thank you and I think it's great you're doing what you love for a living

1. How many books did you try to pitch to agents before getting one accepted?

• I got an offer on the second book that I queried

1. I have the next 18 months at home with my son (18 months old), before I go back to work. I plan to have both my books finished and sent out to agents. Do you have any advice to take advantage of the time?

• honestly my advice is always the same. Just write it. Do it every day, or most days. Commit to it. There is no hack other than making the time to write a book

1. Do you feel like you have stability in your career? Or do you worry the ideas will stop coming?

• I don't worry the ideas will stop coming at all but I do worry I'll have a book not sell as well, and that will lead to a general decline

@Flamingpantoufles

Aspiring writer here - so glad to have read this thread. Thank you for taking the time to answer everyone's questions, OP. It's really inspiring.

I have a question: I wrote my first novel five or so years ago, I've drafted and redrafted it so what I have now is probably draft 4. I sent it out to three agents and got three polite rejections. I can't decide whether to keep sending it out or just draw a line under it and try to write a better book. I've written lots of short stories since and started on a new novel.

Anyway, this is all very long-winded but essentially how do you decide when to just drop something you've written and move on?

It depends how much you believe in it. Does it have a one line pitch that sells it? I'd probably try a few more agents as three is very few

Thanks so much for the reply! I never received a notification

How did you get into writing - what was the process of finding an agent, publisher etc?

I’m sorry to see that you don’t read self published books, that seems a fairly narrow minded outlook. I read a lot and don’t even look to see who published a book, if it sounds interesting I’ll read it.

@Costacoffeeplease

I’m sorry to see that you don’t read self published books, that seems a fairly narrow minded outlook. I read a lot and don’t even look to see who published a book, if it sounds interesting I’ll read it.

I find this a strange comment to make. Like saying someone should watch more unranked tennis matches rather than Wimbledon, or listen to self made tapes rather than formally released records.