They say prejudice is born of ignorance, so thinking it was time to search out some information, I turned to Gerald Hornsby. I met Gerald at Frinton Litfest in 2010. He has been writing since he could hold a pencil, but his short stories and flash fiction were languishing on various hard drives until, excited by the new opportunities in self-publishing, he gathered them into two collections of dark fiction, and published them on Amazon and Smashwords. His debut full-length novel, entitled Buried Threat, will be published in summer 2012, and he has a series of crime stories in the pipeline.

Gerald’s Bleak Midwinter story collections one and two are available at Smashwords (for non-Kindles) or you can buy both in one print edition. Kindle editions are available on Amazon

Here’s what Gerald has to say about editing:

There’s no doubt that publishing has been changing over the past few years, and with the advent of cheaper electronic readers, the market for ebooks has increased dramatically. One of the most beneficial effects of this is that many more authors can now have their work published.

In one way, this is a very good thing. No longer do authors need to persuade a so-called ‘gatekeeper’ – a publishing editor – that their novel is worthy of the huge investment to make it available in print. We all know stories of famous authors being rejected – twelve publishing houses rejected J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Stephanie Meyer, author of the hugely successful Twilight Saga series, sent out fifteen query letters for her first book. Of those fifteen, she got nine straight rejections, five no responses, and one person that wanted to see her. So, in the new publishing paradigm, the book-consuming market is available to every author.

But there is a downside. The ebook market has become flooded with works from unknown writers, and the quality of some of those ebooks is questionable. Bad spelling and punctuation, loose formatting and poor design can be fixed – sometimes – automatically with software and online support. But what about bad writing? Poor storytelling? Characters that are gossamer-thin, plots that meander meaninglessly, pacing that lurches from turgid to express?

The traditional publishing house employs editors to work with the author, to develop their novel, iron out inconsistencies, and firm up on elements that might make the novel better. But what about the self-publisher? What are they to do? One route is to use friends, relatives and acquaintances. But readers with a social or familial link to the author are notoriously lenient. As an author, I meet people all the time who say things like “I’ve written a few things, and everyone I’ve shown it to really loves it.” It’s hard to find someone close to you who can remain objective. However, there is an option available to self- or independent (sometimes called “indie”) publishers – which is to use a third-party editing service.

Before we discuss options, any independent publisher should know that there are two stages of editing your novel. The first is a copy edit, sometimes called proofreading – the manuscript will be scanned for spelling, punctuation, grammar and obvious typographical errors. No matter how carefully you check, re-read, lay aside, pick up, re-check – something will get past you. The more you read the manuscript, the more you get ‘blinded’ by the words, you get to know them so well, and simple, obvious mistakes can slip through. I know. I’ve been embarrassed to see errors in my published work.

The second type of editing is the story edit. Items under the spotlight would be plot development, characterisation, continuity, pacing, and the like. For this, you will need someone who has experience of editing, and can understand what makes a well-paced novel.

Where to find an editor?

This is a difficult question. Many people and organisations offer editing, but who to choose?

One of the best ways is through personal recommendation. If you don’t know anyone in publishing, try joining an online forum or writing group. One of the busiest is the Absolute Write Water Cooler. Search for it online, or follow http://www.absolutewrite.com forums There is a huge amount of advice on there, on writing, editing and publishing for the independent author. Also, and specifically for Kindle, there is Kindleboards at http://www.kindleboards.com and specifically, the Writers’ Cafe. There you will find feedback from writers who have successfully self-published, and in some cases have sold many hundreds of thousands of their novels. Always be sure to check on an author’s recommendations – find their books online, and check the reviews, to see if the editing process was successful.

How much will it cost?

For proofreading, expect to pay between $0.001 (a tenth of a cent) and $0.0025 (a quarter of a cent) per word. This works out to between $100 and $250 (around £64 – £160) for a 100,000-word novel.

For editing, the price will be higher. Expect to pay between $0.003 (three-tenths of a cent) and $0.005 (half a cent) per word. This works out to between $300 and $500 (around £200 – £320) for a 100,000-word novel.

These prices will be flexible, and many editors, if they don’t know you, will request a chapter or a thousand words, so they can judge how much work will be involved.

Incidentally, the self-publishing industry is more advanced, chronologically, in the US than it is in the UK, and there are a wider variety of publishing services available there, which is why the prices quoted above are in US dollars.

Warning

Publishing is changing, and there has been a huge upsurge in new writers becoming published. Unfortunately, this upsurge has brought an increase in companies and individuals looking to prey on new authors, impatient to see their work in e-print. Make sure that you retain control of your work, and only pay for the service you actually need. There are a number of companies who will offer to proofread, edit and publish your work, including marketing, for a fee. These fees can extend into thousands of dollars, for a service which you possible do not need, and may not benefit in increased visibility and ebook sales. Vanity publishing is alive and well, albeit in a slightly different form. Preditors and Editors are invaluable for checking companies, as is Victoria Strauss at Writer Beware

Finally

The most important piece of advice is: don’t rush the editing process. As an author, you will have probably spent hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of hours creating your novel. Doesn’t it deserve the best chance to succeed?

Thank you, Gerald, for sharing your ‘inside information’. I’d never have thought of looking to the US for selfpublishing services. And I’m glad you added the words of warning!

So, is this any different to editing with a traditional publisher? Take a look at Ed Hogan’s post about working on The Hunger Trace (Simon and Schuster) with editor Francesca Main over on bookhugger’s blog and see what you think.

Gerald Hornsby’s Bleak Midwinter story collections one and two are available at Smashwords (for non-Kindles) or you can buy both in one print edition. Kindle editions are available on Amazon

Rook by Jane Rusbridge will be one of nine launch titles in a ‘high flying’ new imprint from Bloomsbury, it has been announced today in the Bookseller. ‘The books in Bloomsbury Circus,’ says Alexandra Pringle, Editor-in-Chief, ‘will be mostly fiction, unashamedly literary, always fresh and sometimes surprising.’ One of the aims of the new imprint is to celebrate the joy and beauty of the physical book.

The imprint will include established novelists like Liz Jensen, Patrick McGrath and Emily Perkins, as well as début writers. Read more about the launch titles on the Bloomsbury website

Rook is a mesmerising  story of family, legacy and turning back the tides, set in the ancient Sussex village of Bosham. It explores the mystery surrounding Harold II’s burial place, the hidden histories of the Bayeux Tapestry and connections forged through three women’s secrets and their stories, past and present.

You can read more, and preorder ROOK from Bloomsbury online

Now that I have just finished checking the page proofs for Rook, to be published in August, will my 4 year obsession with rooks begin to dwindle? An obsession shared by my daughter Natalie, a photographer.

Autumn, 2007:  Noticed rooks’ nests in the trees either side of the lanes on my drive home. Wanted to learn more.

Read Mark Cocker’s Crow Country .

Fell in love with rooks.

December, 2007: Went to Norfolk seeking rooks. Watched thousands and thousands of them fly in to roost, near Buckenham Carr. One of the most uplifting, cathartic experiences of my life. Three nights in a row.

Spring, Summer, Winter 2008: Read and talked, a lot, about rooks. Collected stories about pet rooks.

January, 2009: Returned to Norfolk, with my daughter,  Natalie Miller and her camera. Nat fell in love with rooks too.

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, 2009: Nat and I continued to be distracted by sightings of rooks, rookeries and roosts. Nat took more photographs, near where we live in Sussex:

January, 2010: Nat went to back to Norfolk, with a friend who loves birds, and took more photos.

Summer, 2011: Talked to Nat about Nora, the main character in Rook. Told a little of her story. Which gave Nat some ideas:

Autumn, 2011: Sent some of Nat’s rook pictures to Bloomsbury.

December, 2011: Senior designer,  Greg Heninimann, created the first version of the cover, using one of Nat’s photographs of rooks in Norfolk:

I had one or two ideas. Discussed them with my editor, who passed them on to Greg. Version 2 of the cover design:

Loved the Bayeux Tapestry in the sky on the back cover. Suggested a scene more relevant to the themes of the novel.

3rd, and final, version:

All photographs of rooks in this post taken by Natalie Miller . Prints available for sale via website contact form.

Rook by Jane Rusbridge available to preorder from Amazon  here ,  and from Bloomsbury here

20th October workshop: LET’S GET DIGITAL: SOCIAL NETWORKING AND DIGITAL MARKETING FOR WRITERS

Novelist Jane Rusbridge – The Devil’s Music  (Bloomsbury 2009) and ROOK  (Bloomsbury Circus 2012) – and PR expert Lucy Middleton on how to negotiate the highways and byways of new media to connect with new readers. More details to follow.

OTHER LONDON WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR  2012.

Saturday, 25 February 2012, 10.30am – 4pm.

CAPTURE NEW CHARACTERS. HEAR THEM SPEAK: Characterization and Dialogue

with Vicky Grut.

Novels and short stories that linger in the reader’s memory almost always have intriguing and complex characters at their heart. This enjoyable and highly practical one-day workshop explores different ways of creating compelling fictional characters, as well as ways of writing sharp, lively dialogue that will bring their voices alive on the page. Suitable for all levels of experience. Cost: £85 includes tea, coffee and a sandwich lunch. Group limit: 12

Saturday, 17 March, 10.30am – 4pm.

THE WRITERS’ WORKOUT: Inspiration for new fiction

with Vicky Grut

Another intensive day of writing exercises and prompts designed to recharge your creative batteries in a supportive environment. Come along and rustle up some new inspiration for the Spring. Suitable for all levels of experience. Cost: £85 includes tea, coffee and a sandwich lunch. Group limit: 12

Saturday, 21 April 2012, 10.30am – 4pm.

SHAPING YOUR STORY: Narrative Structure

with Vicky Grut

A practical day of writing exercises and focused discussion for novelists and short story writers who want to explore story structure. Come along and experiment with different kinds of story shapes or bring an existing story outline and get feedback on work-in-progress in a supportive environment. Cost: £85 includes tea, coffee and a sandwich lunch. Group limit: 12.

ALSO…

Saturday, 26 May 2012, 10.30am – 4pm.

WRITING FROM LIFE – with ALEXEI SAYLE

and Vicky Grut

An opportunity to spend a day exploring the pleasures and pitfalls of drawing on real experiences with writer and comedian Alexei Sayle. Using a mix of discussion and practical writing exercises, we’ll look at ways of shaping characters from real people – including yourself; drawing inspiration from real places; creating story-lines; and the evocative power of sensory memories. This workshop will appeal to people interested in life writing, memoir or creative non-fiction, as well as those writing fiction based on real events.

Praise for Alexei Sayle’s recent memoir Stalin Ate My Homework: [This] ‘touching, elegantly written memoir stands out’ (Independent on Sunday); ‘Fascinating and hugely entertaining’(Daily Telegraph); ‘brilliant satires on modern life’ (Tim Lott, Independent); a book of ‘charm and substance, both as memoir and history’ (Times Literary Supplement).

Workshop leader Vicky Grut is the recipient of a number of short fiction awards, including the 2009 Asham Award (finalist) and the 2006 Chapter One International Short Story Prize (winner). Her stories have appeared in magazines and collections including Random Factor (Pulp Books, 1997), Reshape Whilst Damp (Serpent’s Tail, 2000), Valentine’s Day: Stories of Revenge (Duckworth, 2000), two volumes of the British Council anthology New Writing 13 (Picador, 2005) and NW14 (Granta, 2006), and Waving at the Gardener (Bloomsbury, 2009). She is a reader for the Literary Consultancy and has taught for Birkbeck College, the Open University and the Arvon Foundation. She teaches on the BA in Creative Writing at London’s South Bank University.

More Details can be found here

Do you belong to a Reading Group in or around Bognor? Why not get reading novels written by three award-winning authors, all of whom have strong local connections with West Sussex, then come along  to Bognor Library in March to join us for an fun and friendly evening of readings, conversation, and a chance to discuss your questions about the books.

DATE: 19th March 2012

TIME: 7.30pm

PLACE: Bognor Library

Gabrielle Kimm’s debut novel, His Last Duchess, was published by Little, Brown in 2010 and was long-listed for the RNA Novel of the Year. Her second novel, The Courtesan’s Lover, shortlisted for the Impress Prize, was released in November 2011. Gabrielle lives and works in Sussex.  As well as her writing, she is also an English teacher, and has taught in a number of local schools.  The Courtesan’s Lover – this passionate story resounds with historic truth and makes for a vibrant journey around the Naples of the past - (Italia! magazine)

Isabel Ashdown’s debut novel Glasshopper was twice named in the press as one of the best books of 2009. Her second novel, Hurry Up and Wait, was published by Myriad in June 2011. Isabel grew up in East Wittering, and the Sussex Coast continues to be an important influence in much of her writing. Her prize-winning entry to the Mail on Sunday Novel Competition was described by judges Fay Weldon and John Mortimer as ‘magnificent’ (Glasshopper, 2009).

Jane Rusbridge, winner of the Philip Lebrun Prize, is published by Bloomsbury. Her first novel, The Devil’s Music, was nominated for the 2011 International IMPAC Literary Award. Her second, Rook, is set in Bosham and published in August 2012. The Rusbridge family has farmed in the local area for generations and Jane gains much of her inspiration for setting and atmosphere from the Wittering seascapes.  ‘A highly original, fresh, new talent of rare quality’ – The Lady

Books will be available to buy at the special event price of £5, signed by the authors.

Joining local book group to discuss The Devil’s Music with readers.

Private meeting.

Details to be confirmed

Sea-glass is something we have probably all picked up at one time or another, if we’ve spent any time on a beach. I’ll pick up any pieces I spot on a walk along Wittering beach and, whenever I sit on the shingle, I’ll be raking my fingers through the pebbles, searching. After years of living near the sea with children, the collection of such ‘treasures’ along the shoreline has left me with an assortment of bottles filled sea-glass in various sizes and shapes, misty colours in shades of green, white and brown, as well as my favourite, the cobalt blue.

What is it that we find alluring about the chips of coloured glass? For me it’s the texture and colour, the connection with the sea and the mystery of where and what have they come from, these broken fragments rolled on the ocean’s bed for who knows how many years, smoothed and frosted by the motion of waves against sand and pebbles until they are in some way whole again. Sea glass invites the beachcomber to pause, to hold each piece up to the light and wonder at its origins, the story behind its journey. Sea-glass is rare, but not too rare, and it’s free. I’m sure I’m not alone in preferring sea-glass to diamonds.

Designer Harriet McAlonan and I came across each other on twitter – I can’t remember how, but I’m guessing it was through our shared passion for the sea. Browsing the  Sea Sparkle website, filled with beautiful bracelets, necklaces and earrings fashioned in silver with sea glass collected from Devon and Cornwall’s beaches, I bought some of Harriet’s delicate jewellery for myself and my daughters.

When Harriet read The Devil’s Music, she was inspired to make her own version of a bracelet the mother, Helen, receives at the end of the novel. The bracelet arrives in an envelope from Crete in a padded Jiffy envelope, and is in the form of a Celtic shield knot, which Helen takes as a clue it is a gift made by the son she has not seen since he was nine years old. I was delighted when Harriet sent me a picture of a similar bracelet she’d made, inspired by the knot work described in the novel. So, although Harriet’s bracelet is not yet available for sale, she and I have teamed together to offer a special Christmas Giveaway: Harriet’s Get Knotted necklace comes with a FREE signed copy of The Devil’s Music – for all those who, like us, love the sea.

Come and meet  Chichester Book Club authors Jane Rusbridge, Gabrielle Kimm and Isabel Ashdown at Bognor Library on March 19th, at  7.30pm.

Gabrielle Kimm, His Last Duchess, was published by Little, Brown in 2010 and long-listed for the RNA Novel of the Year. Her second novel, The Courtesan’s Lover , shortlisted for the Impress Prize, was released in November 2011. Gabrielle lives and works in Sussex.  As well as her writing, she is also an English teacher, and has taught in a number of local schools.

His Last Duchess (Sphere) is ‘ full of fascinating period detail and simmering with tension’ – Lancashire Evening Post.

Isabel Ashdown’s debut novel Glasshopper was twice named in the press as one of the best books of 2009. Her second novel, Hurry Up and Wait, was published by Myriad in June 2011. Isabel grew up in East Wittering, and the Sussex Coast continues to be an important influence in much of her writing.

Her prize-winning entry to the Mail on Sunday Novel Competition was described by judges Fay Weldon and John Mortimer as ‘magnificent’ (Glasshopper, 2009).

Jane Rusbridge’s first novel, The Devil’s Music (Bloomsbury, 2009) was nominated for the 2011 International IMPAC Literary Award. Her second, Rook (2012) is set in Bosham and explores the mystery surrounding Harold II burial place. The Rusbridge family has farmed in the local area for generations and Jane gains much of her inspiration for setting and atmosphere from the Wittering seascapes.

‘a highly original, fresh, new talent of rare quality’ – The Lady

Coming August 2012 . . .