There’s always plenty for writers to moan about. Not having our books prominently displayed in the bookshop for example. A miserable sales ranking on Amazon. And that’s before we even get started on the publishers and agents.
But every so often something comes along to make it feel worthwhile.
A couple of weeks ago I got an e-mail from a women who’s son was very unwell. He wouldn’t be having much of a birthday, she said, and his situation made it hard for him to get out and meet people. But he was a big fan of my first two books, Death Force and Shadow Force. And he would really like it if I sent him a birthday card.
In fact, I sent him a signed copy of Shadow Force.
It’s nice to know your work has got through to someone enough that they would be pleased to hear from you, even though they don’t know you. I guess that is what all writers aspire to.
I hope he has a good day.
Showing posts with label writers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writers. Show all posts
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Annoying Things People Say To Writers...
Over on the Curzon Group blog, I've kicked off a series about the annoying things people say to writers. But here it is....
Tom's splendid post yesterday about film rights has prompted me to think some more about the slim volume I'm planning to write one day called 'Annoying Things People Say To Writers'. One of the hazards of this job is that people have no idea how it really works, but of course they think they do.
The result? If you mention that you are a writer at a dinner party, they make really irritating remarks. Such as....
1. 'All you need to do now is sell the film rights'.
What am I meant to say to that? Oh, yeah, thanks, I'd never thought of that. But I'll get it sorted on Monday morning. Thanks for the idea.
2. 'I've been meaning to write a book when I get the time'.
Listen, if I meet a dentist, I don't say, 'Oh, I've been meaning to do some root canal work, I just never get a minute.' Or if I meet an airline pilot, I wouldn't say, 'Oh, I'll take an A330 for a spin when I've got a day off.' I recognise that those jobs require years of dedicatd training and practise. And yet everyone seems to think they could knock off a novel, easy-peasy, if only they could find a spare minute. It is more than a little rude to suggest that what we do is so simple anyone could do it in a few dull weekends.
3. 'Can I have the name of your agent'.
Why do people imagine we want to give out the contact details of our agents to everyone we meet? They can look it up for themselves. I've just given up on this one, and I now hand out my agent's details automatically to everyone I meet. At my wife's parents house in Cardiff a little while ago, I met this 90-year old lady who used to live next door to my wife when she was small. Turns out she's been working on a historical romantic epic of several hundred pages. I humbly gave her my agent's details. I bet he was pleased to get that one.
4. 'I looked in Smith's and they didn't have your book. I just thought you'd like to speak to your publisher about that.'
Listen, an author is psychologically incapable of walking past a bookshop without going inside to check if they have his book, and, if so, how many copies. Even Dan Brown does it - I've seen him, moving the display bin a bit further to the front of Waterstone's. Trust me, if they haven't got my book in stock, I already know -- all you are doing is rubbing it in.
This one will be continued next time someone says something really irritating to me -- which won't be long I'm sure
Tom's splendid post yesterday about film rights has prompted me to think some more about the slim volume I'm planning to write one day called 'Annoying Things People Say To Writers'. One of the hazards of this job is that people have no idea how it really works, but of course they think they do.
The result? If you mention that you are a writer at a dinner party, they make really irritating remarks. Such as....
1. 'All you need to do now is sell the film rights'.
What am I meant to say to that? Oh, yeah, thanks, I'd never thought of that. But I'll get it sorted on Monday morning. Thanks for the idea.
2. 'I've been meaning to write a book when I get the time'.
Listen, if I meet a dentist, I don't say, 'Oh, I've been meaning to do some root canal work, I just never get a minute.' Or if I meet an airline pilot, I wouldn't say, 'Oh, I'll take an A330 for a spin when I've got a day off.' I recognise that those jobs require years of dedicatd training and practise. And yet everyone seems to think they could knock off a novel, easy-peasy, if only they could find a spare minute. It is more than a little rude to suggest that what we do is so simple anyone could do it in a few dull weekends.
3. 'Can I have the name of your agent'.
Why do people imagine we want to give out the contact details of our agents to everyone we meet? They can look it up for themselves. I've just given up on this one, and I now hand out my agent's details automatically to everyone I meet. At my wife's parents house in Cardiff a little while ago, I met this 90-year old lady who used to live next door to my wife when she was small. Turns out she's been working on a historical romantic epic of several hundred pages. I humbly gave her my agent's details. I bet he was pleased to get that one.
4. 'I looked in Smith's and they didn't have your book. I just thought you'd like to speak to your publisher about that.'
Listen, an author is psychologically incapable of walking past a bookshop without going inside to check if they have his book, and, if so, how many copies. Even Dan Brown does it - I've seen him, moving the display bin a bit further to the front of Waterstone's. Trust me, if they haven't got my book in stock, I already know -- all you are doing is rubbing it in.
This one will be continued next time someone says something really irritating to me -- which won't be long I'm sure
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Welcome Back Len Deighton
At least there is some good news out there. Harper Collins have announced that they are to republish all of Len Deighton's books. All of them will have new introductions by the author. Of course, Deighton hasn't really been unavailable. He sold so many, you could always find plenty of copies of his books at your local charity shop. I've been working my way through them, and, for pace, suspense, humour and insight, he is hard to match. The Harry Palmer books and the Game, Set and Match series are rightly praised. But even lesser known works such as Winter are fantastic. Welcome back.
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