Submitting part of a trilogy

[ctg]

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

He received his first six-figure advance from a London publisher over a decade ago, and has sold extremely well ever since. Ask those bookshops about him! I often find his books on the mainstream shelves, not the Fantasy and SF area...

Thank you John, I'll do that the next time I can afford to go for book shopping.

[Troo]

Originally Posted by ctg

(I often have to travel to Forbidden Planet, in Shaftesbury Ave, if I want to find a good selection of SF/F books.)

Waterstone's, Piccadilly, have an excellent SF/F section. I find it easier to get to if I leave the Tube at Green Park and walk up, rather than leave at Piccadilly, as I find the whole Piccadilly area quite confusing (predominantly the overabundance of tourists and pickpockets makes me not want to stand still for five minutes going "uhhhm").

[ctg]

Originally Posted by Troo

Waterstone's, Piccadilly, have an excellent SF/F section. I find it easier to get to if I leave the Tube at Green Park and walk up, rather than leave at Piccadilly, as I find the whole Piccadilly area quite confusing (predominantly the overabundance of tourists and pickpockets makes me not want to stand still for five minutes going "uhhhm").

To me, when I have money, it's better to go to Forbidden Planet. I can get the wipes on 'what's the latest'. I also can also browse their book selection pretty much on my own, without having to feel weird, as there are so many other geeks around me. (Two years ago, when I was doing a lot of money by being a Technical Architect, I spent most of money in there.)

It is very easy for you to get to the Forbidden Planet from the Green Park, it's one straight line as you can see from this link.

[Troo]

Aye. I was simply offering an alternative

[ctg]

Yeah, sorry about the first reply, especially the way it was written. There are mornings, sometimes days, when I cannot get my head to turned on, and therefore my writing suffers. I'm glad that you got the message out from my gibberish.

[Doctor Sax]

The difference between Waterstone's and Forbidden Planet is that FP will get pretty much anything and everything in, from bestsellers to the more esoteric stuff. Waterstone's is a better guide as to what the big publishers are buying from agents, as the publishers want to get their books on the shelves of Waterstone's and WH Smith first and foremost.

[ctg]

True, you also can find out that from the window placements. Sadly, the truth is, that the best place is often reserved for something else then a fantasy or a science-fiction book. However, when I go to Forbidden Planet, I can find out what new books big publishers has brought out lately (I just need to know the names of the big publishing houses).

[John Jarrold]

That is also market research, which every author should do!

If you are writing SF and Fantasy, in the UK: Orbit, Voyager, Gollancz, Bantam, Macmillan/Tor UK, and now Solaris.

In the US, Tor, Berkley Ace, DAW, Roc, Eos, Del Rey, Bantam, Baen and many other somewhat smaller imprints.

[John Jarrold]

Originally Posted by ctg

True, you also can find out that from the window placements. Sadly, the truth is, that the best place is often reserved for something else then a fantasy or a science-fiction book. However, when I go to Forbidden Planet, I can find out what new books big publishers has brought out lately (I just need to know the names of the big publishing houses).

Don't bother about windows - to be honest, that is aiming too high for any new writer. Just go to the SFF shelves and look for books by more recent authors, not long-term bestsellers such as Jordan, Eddings, Banks, etc.

[ctg]

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

Don't bother about windows - to be honest, that is aiming too high for any new writer. Just go to the SFF shelves and look for books by more recent authors, not long-term bestsellers such as Jordan, Eddings, Banks, etc.

Last night I went to publishers websites to see what they are bringing in near future, what authors they present on their front page, and what the publishers say about their new authors. I also did a bit of research on Waterstone and WHSmith websites. However, I do also walk to shelves, look for new authors, and what they have written lately.

In regards to my novel, there is bit of mixed feelings as post-apocalyptic theme seems to be hot, but for my horror there hasn't been new cyberpunk novels for a long time. Therefore the question is, am I a brave fool on trying to warm up the sub-genre that hasn't been in headlines for a long time?

[John Jarrold]

Cyberpunk, per se, is not being published. So it's a matter of bringing something new to the ideas...

[ctg]

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

Cyberpunk, per se, is not being published. So it's a matter of bringing something new to the ideas...

Thank you, John. I know I am not doing anything wrong then, by using a cyberpunk element with a mix of other sub-genres. However, it is interesting on how steampunk - a sub-genre of cyberpunk - has become stronger on last couple of years.

[Montero]

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

100,000 to 150,000 is right - and the debut fantasies I have sold have ranged from 130,000 words to 160,000. What I have been saying for some time is that an SF or Fantasy novel UNDER 100,000 words is almost impossible to sell in the UK in 2008. The SF novels I've sold are closer to 110,000 words.

When you say SF novels closer to 110,000 - does that encompass debut Space Opera?
Also is that the case in the US market?
Just checking (in paranoid detail) because I have a strong suspicion that the space opera I'm currently writing is more US market in style.

[Doctor Sax]

Mr Jarrold might correct me here, but I'd be inclined to stop stressing about the length and just write the bloody thing with, say, a minimum commitment of 100k words. Once that first draft is down you can always go back and expand or collapse sections, tinker with stuff, insert new scenes. If it's a work of brilliance but, say, 10,000 words shorter than the market average for your genre or sub-genre, I'd say an agent or editor will advise you of that.

[John Jarrold]

Yes, quite right. Don't micro-manage. Finish the book. And I have mentioned the difference in the UK and US markets on a number of occasions!

And don't forget the story will really dictate the length. Some stories need more than 80,000, or 100,000, or 120,000 words. Others don't. So don't try to cram a long story into a shorter length - and equally, if your story demands 90,000 words, don't try to lengthen it unnaturally.