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Comment from the book world in January 2010

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January 2010

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'Can she hack it as a novelist?'

25 January 2010

'So, Cheryl Cole is to write a series of 'chick-lit' novels... Ms Cole is gorgeous and talented... as a singer and celebrity. But can she hack it as a novelist? Does she actually know what it entails? Where's her track record of being able to write 100,000+ words of original fiction?...

I take this very seriously. It's not about 'slagging off' Cheryl Cole' (she's seems lovely) - it's about protesting at the decisions made by our leading publishers. My concern is that talented, promising, as-yet-unpublished authors may be ignored because publishers are investing their funds elsewhere, where literary quality does not figure. Tell me that Ms Cole's fine UK publisher won't now reject and forfeit fine unknown novelists on account of having spent a vulgar amount on her advance?

We all know the adage of 'everyone has a book in them' - but how many truly have the commitment, courage, tenacity - and skills - to write a series of novels? Writing a novel is not about 'burning ambition' - where ambition is solely about publication or money or fame. For a novel to be a good novel - and worthy of the generous readers who part with their cash to buy it - it can only arise from the author's absolute desire to write that story out of their system - and being blessed with the necessary talent to do so...

Above all else, we object to the assumption that it's 'easy' to write commercial fiction - that 'chick-lit' (an umbrella term I've always loathed...if anyone called me a chick I'd belt them...) is but a dumbed-down genre that 'anyone' can turn their hand to. It's great commercial fiction, it's perennially popular and there should be quality controls!!!'

Freya North, in a Bookseller blog http://www.thebookseller.com/blogs/76271-girl-not-allowed.html

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'A huge leap forward'

18 January 2010

'Self-publishing has taken a huge leap forward in recent years. It's always existed, but with all the technological changes from desk-top publishing systems to POD to blogging and so forth it's now more acceptable than ever before. It may not be so appropriate for fiction, though there have been some notable successes, such as Jill Paton Walsh's Knowledge of Angels, but for specialist non-fiction titles it is proving popular. The trend is hardly surprising: mainstream publishers have cut back and cut back, so that even authors who had niche titles published and might have been in print for some years now find it harder and harder to keep their books available...

In difficult times, when people need inspiration more than ever, providing it in portable book format is still important, regardless of all the possibilities available through the internet. One of the attractions of self-publishing is how quickly books can be made available, plus the amount of control an author has over every aspect of production and design. I believe it's the perfect answer for authors who have had worthwhile books published, but who have been unable to remain in print with a major publishing house due to the continual trimming of lists. If authors are already established in the marketplace and are familiar with marketing and promotion and have experience on the lecture/workshop circuit, they stand even more chance of being successful, providing expectations about sales are realistic.

Eileen Campbell, Mind, Body and Spirit expert and author of 6 books, in Bookbrunch

'My life changed'

11 January 2010

'My life changed when I took control of my time. Instead of waiting for inspiration to strike, I sit down to write for three hours every day. It's much more effective - it's about giving yourself the space for creativity to come.

Esther Freud, author of Love Falls in the Sunday Times' Style magazine