"Personal" question(s) to John Jarrold

[gary compton]

hi Teresa its nearly time for bed, just got to let my boys (see my avatar) have a wee wee and then its Zzzzzzzzzzzzzland for me.

I agree with everything you say, I respect your dedication, success and your 3500 posts on this forum. I will just give it 150% and if Fate decides to give me the success I thirst for then great, if not then I have tried and will have no regrets.

Just an after thought, how many books have you had published?

LOL Gary

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by garycompton

Just an after thought, how many books have you had published?

Eleven, plus a handful of short stories. You can find my bibliography here:

http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum...liography.html

[John Jarrold]

Originally Posted by maguffin

'Posh fiction', a phrase that made me laugh. So really it is a critics axe to grind (manning barricades I mean) rather than a publishers but then again isn't a lot of SF looked down upon in certain publishing circles or have I got it wrong again? Or is it as simple as who you go to?

If you are writing SF and Fantasy, go to an SF or Fantasy publisher...they obviously do not look down on the genre!

[Troo]

Originally Posted by Teresa Edgerton

I know plenty of (as yet) unpublished writers who are utterly convinced that great fame and fortune await them.

I certainly am. Having researched the industry, I am confident that my ideas are utterly original, will have mass appeal, and I will be a household name and worth millions of pounds within six months!

N.B. Post may contain joke.

[Kissmequick]

HI John,

I was wondering if you could settle a discussion?

When MS's are submitted does it actually matter if you use " round dialogue, or is the UK preference ' ? Or don't you care?

I'm being told all UK agents want " ( or else! So do it or maybe get rejected for it), but looking at all my british books ( as opposed to US ones) they are all printed '.

I wouldn't have thought it mattered really ( I would have thought you were interested in the story, not what quote marks are used), but just wondered what is correct?

[John Jarrold]

It doesn't matter at all. I don't even notice. When it comes to publication, UK publishers use single quotes, US publishers double. If you see double quotes in a UK book, it means it has been offset from the US edition, rather than set by a UK typesetter.

Words matter.

[Kissmequick]

Thanks, that's what I thought.

Hurray! I was right about something!

[Anarchon]

Hi, John

There's a question I haven't found in the previous posts (or else I missed it).

Hoping this isn't inappropriate, I'll fire away, then.

Have you ever decided to represent a writer who had sent you a typescript just for structural editing?

[John Jarrold]

Only once, some time after the fact. Basically, I keep both sides of my business separate. To take an author on as a client, I have to LOVE their work, both personally and professionally. To edit a book, I use my editorial knowledge, gleaned over twenty years, and do an objective, professional job.

[anthorn]

WOuld a novel with several flashbacks be acceptable? Like in mine i have flashback triggered when ever the guy tells a lie hidden with in the truth, For example guy says he was a singer, flashback shows he was a singer, come asassin.

My flashbacks are set out much like the ones on lost the tv series but would that annoy people?

[John Jarrold]

Flashbacks can easily be overdone - it is basically going to depend on making them a seamless part of the narrative, not something that halts it in its tracks. And on the writing being wonderful, of course!

[lin robinson]

I was just thinking that.
The film "Twelve Monkeys" is basically nothing but a fabric of flashbacks, structurally.

[John Jarrold]

Yes, as so often, it depends on the specific book, there isn't a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer that appplies to every case...

[gary compton]

Hope you are well John,

I know you are always busy with your clients, dealing with submissions and your editing side of your business. As well as running up and down to London so how can you find time to read for pleasure. By the end of the day your eyes must be on storks...

Interested to hear how you make time for it?

[John Jarrold]

In bed, or on the train journeys to London, basically!