Chat to John Jarrold in person

[Ian Whates]

We're delighted to announce that John has kindly agreed to run a kaffeeklatsche on the Sunday morning of NewCon 4. www.newcon4.com

For anyone unfamiliar with the term, this basically means that a few lucky people (6 to 8 individuals) will have the chance to sit around for an hour or so with John, nattering about any subject they might wish to talk about, not to mention picking however few of his brain cells have survived the Saturday night (please be gentle).

As indicated, spaces are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first-come first-serve basis. Bookings will open on the Saturday morning of the convention.

We will also be running one further kaffeeklatsche that same morning, this one featuring a little-known emerging author by the name of... ehm... Iain M. Banks.

Can't wait!

[ctg]

Have fun to anyone who gets a chance to talk to either one of them, but please be careful with the old fellows, some people might still need their advices. :P

[Troo]

Ha ha, I think that warning's going to the wrong people, ctg.

Naive writers beware: John is honest. Don't expect him to flatter your ego or coddle you in any way

[ctg]

You lost me Troo, did I gave a warning? I thought I made a plea.

[John Jarrold]

And the kaffeeklatsche went well! As did the con - congratulations to Ian Whates, Ian Watson, and all others involved...

[Anne Lyle]

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

And the kaffeeklatsche went well!

Thanks, John, from one of your attendees (Klatschtanten?) - it was very useful to get the inside skinny on the UK market. At last I have a solid reply for all those misinformed folk who've been telling me that ~125k is too long for a first (fantasy) novel

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

As did the con - congratulations to Ian Whates, Ian Watson, and all others involved...

Hear, hear! Well done those chaps! Just warn the venue to provide more food - and beer - next time

[John Jarrold]

Thanks, Anne!

There is no difference in length requirements for a first novel - why would there be? Long books sell, short books don't! As I recall, Maggie Furey's first fantasy novel, AURIAN, was about 150,000 words long. And the debut fantasy novels I have sold as an agent, over the past three years, have ranged from 130,000 words to 180,000...possibly longer.

[Anne Lyle]

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

There is no difference in length requirements for a first novel - why would there be? Long books sell, short books don't!

John, if I had a fiver for every time I've been told "publishers aren't going to take a risk on a long book from an unknown writer", I'd have enough to keep me in paperbacks for quite a while! The fact that a word-count analysis of some recently published fantasy novels on my shelves puts the average at around 140k, from new and established writers alike, doesn't seem to bother the self-appointed experts *sigh*

Anyway, back to wrestling with the manuscript (I have the week off work - yay!)

[chopper]

well, it gives me a good 100k to play with....but i'm not fussed how long it is as long as the story gets told well.

[John Jarrold]

But publishers are fussed, because they know - certainly in the UK - that a 70000-word SF or Fantasy novel is unlikely to be taken by the bookselling chains...

[John Jarrold]

Originally Posted by Anne Lyle

John, if I had a fiver for every time I've been told "publishers aren't going to take a risk on a long book from an unknown writer", I'd have enough to keep me in paperbacks for quite a while! The fact that a word-count analysis of some recently published fantasy novels on my shelves puts the average at around 140k, from new and established writers alike, doesn't seem to bother the self-appointed experts *sigh*

Anyway, back to wrestling with the manuscript (I have the week off work - yay!)

Well, they are flat-out WRONG!

[Scarfy]

I was about to cite The Reality Dysfunction as a prime example of a long debut novel, but I think it's actually his second trilogy and therefore 4th book.

Still... that's a hefty tome. And tome doesn't really even begin to describe it.

[John Jarrold]

Quite right, Peter Hamilton's first three books are much shorter. But look at Joe Abercrombie or Scott Lynch in fantasy, or Charlie Stross and Philip Palmer in SF. Debuts published relatively recently (that's where comparisons have to come for a new writer, not with debuts going back fifteen or more years). All well over 100,000 words...

[Anne Lyle]

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

Well, they are flat-out WRONG!

That's what I've been trying to tell people - but it sounds a heck of a lot more convincing coming from an industry insider

[John Jarrold]

You're welcome to say I said so, if it helps! Look at it this way: long books sell, short books don't (in SFF terms, in the UK - and I think largely in the US). So when a publisher takes on a new writer, who will not be easy to sell to the book trade, do they make things MORE difficult for themselves by insisting they write at a length that is uncommercial? Not unless they are deeply stupid...