"Personal" question(s) to John Jarrold

[Gary Compton]

Did you have long hair and a flowery shirt at the time John

Anyway a question - do you know what the breakdown of sales of books is between the internet (Amazon etc) and the traditional book stores. Is it about 50/50

[John Jarrold]

Originally Posted by gary compton

Did you have long hair and a flowery shirt at the time John

Part of the time!

Anyway a question - do you know what the breakdown of sales of books is between the internet (Amazon etc) and the traditional book stores. Is it about 50/50

No, traditional booksellers still account for well over 70% of sales overall, amazon and other online outlets maybe 25%, according to an old chum who is the sales director of a UK publishing company.

[Gary Compton]

In the publishing industry in 2008, how easy would it be for a new publisher getting his foot in the door? - ie. Getting his book/books into the bookshops, is it a closed shop or could it be done.

Would it be the case of contacting the sales directors of the big chains - whats the procedure John?

Presumably all the current publishers had to start somewhere and build on their sucesses.

[John Jarrold]

Major publishers have long histories, and many of them are multi-nationals, Gary. For a one-man band it's entirely different than for them - mostly WHS, Waterstones, etc, won't stock a small publisher and much of the selling is done personally, in the local area, at first, and now by websites. I know one publisher who has been in business for ten years, who has just got his first deal with Waterstones - WHS still won't stock him.

Most of the older UK publishers, like Hodder, Pan, Jonathan Cape, etc., are now owned by far bigger conglomerates because they could no longer exist, financially, alone. And anyone wanting to break in as more than a small press needs millions of pounds in venture capital behind them, as well as a team of sales, marketing and editorial staff who know the business thoroughly. And to be honest, no one who does not have years of experience in publishing should even consider starting up a company. It's a very specialised industry.

[Gary Compton]

Thanks John, thats what I thought. As you have probably gathered I want to self publish but only when I think and others agree that the book is good enough - God knows when that will be we will have to wait and see.

I'll be honest my target is 10,000 sales in first two years and sensibly I am building up the things I need to publish ie, book cover, printer, distribution and a marketing plan. I have all those things done and in the draw I just wondered if getting in the big chains was possible but it doesnt sound if it is.

I wouldnt rule out having an agent so I will query them when I am ready even if its to get their feedback but because I dont think I will fit into a traditional organisation due to the fact that I have been in business for 25 years and am used to calling all the shots I would find it difficult being told what to do and where to go - I am a control freak sadly

[John Jarrold]

Then I would stay right away from publishers, Gary, because the only authors who call the shots are those who have YEARS of bestsellers behind them! Otherwise, it's a matter of 'Difficult author, Life's Too Short, goodbye!!!' I have done that myself on more than one occasion.

[Gary Compton]

Hi John, I think my last comment came across wrong. I wouldnt be difficult in fact I am as easy as an old shoe and always listen to people who know better - which in this field is everybody.
I just fancy giving it a go myself and see where it leads

Cheers

[John Jarrold]

For sure! Onwards!!!

[Flemcodogmusic]

Hey John,

I was just wondering whether there's any current publishing trends, regarding POV ...

I started writing my current book, thinking that it was going to be written from one character's point of view for the entire novel ... However, it's now ended up being told from the POV of several characters.

Anyway, that's obviously just the way that I naturally write, so I'm not going to fight it ... but is one style of writing more popular than the other? Or is that kind of irrelevant, when it comes to a publishable book?

I've just been re-reading The Crow Road, and I'm amazed how Iain Banks manages to combine various character's points of view, in the same scene ... not to mention moving back and forth between a 1st and 3rd person narrative so seamlessly ...

[lin robinson]

I'll be very interested in John's reply to this. This concept that limited POV is vital (or we slip into the hell of "head-hopping") is very big very suddenly. I'd call it a lit fad, like "multiPOV's are the new adverbs".

Usually those things are blathered about among people with little actual experience, and snowball up on re-telling.

But as I say, I'd be extremely interested in John's opinion on the subject.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by lin robinson

This concept that limited POV is vital (or we slip into the hell of "head-hopping") is very big very suddenly. I'd call it a lit fad, like "multiPOV's are the new adverbs".

Usually those things are blathered about among people with little actual experience, and snowball up on re-telling.

I'm not John, but the first person who ever mentioned to me that it was desirable to stick to one POV per scene was my first editor, Terri Windling. She's won numerous awards, so I wouldn't call her someone with little actual experience.

That said, I agree that it's one of those things, like adverbs (I am a firm friend to the adverb), that people can get unnecessarily hung up on. Older authors used to handle frequent POV shifts so gracefully that nobody noticed. But it's hard to do right (and when it's done badly, it does give an impression of hopping from head to head), and as such it's something that inexperienced writers should probably avoid. I think it's one of those things that most people only notice when it is done badly -- otherwise it goes right past them.

[Hilarious Joke]

I massively detest the adverb.

[Troo]

Adverbs suck. As does multi-PoV when not done well.

That's really the key. Anything can stink to high heaven if you do it poorly. The trouble with multi-PoV is that most people do it poorly because they've not yet come to grips with how PoV actually works, and are doing omnipresent third person because they don't realise they're doing it.

[Gary Compton]

I like big words like "omnipresent" cos I don't know what they mean but with some help from my dictionary I do now. Thanks Troo

From a newbie who didn't understand POV or even multi POV until I had my first draft edited by the master (JJ) I think listening to John, Troo and Teresa is the way forward for a new writer - start with the basics.

I am sure John will say Iain Banks is a very talented writer and he sets the benchmark that we all have to aspire to! But it has taken him years to achieve his level of wordsmithery.

[lin robinson]

Usually

Usually

As in the expression, "Usually...."