Blog | Alison Morton Author

On pitching at parties...

The scene: A book industry party
Present: New authors, multi-published authors, agents, editors, publishers, guests, even spouses

A first conversation:
Sensible and Friendly Author to agent: “Don’t worry, I’m not pitching because my book isn’t ready yet.”
Sensible and Savvy Agent: “If I was worried about people pitching to me I wouldn’t come to a party like this.”
Both smile and carry on chatting.

A second conversation:
Desperate and Determined Author to Sensible and Savvy Agent: “My book’s about XYZ and I know it’s going to be a great success. It starts at the end of the First World War and the heroine is called Daisy and she had a daughter who’s called Peggy and she has twins called Maggie and Edith and….
[Ten minutes later]
Sensible and Savvy Agent (with rictus on face and desperate for a drink) to Desperate and Determined Author: “Why don’t you send in three chapters? You’ll find all the details on our website.”
Desperate and Determined Author: “….and then great aunt Getrude comes back from India with a new husband and…”
Sensible and Savvy Agent: “Send it in, then. If you’ll excuse me, I must get on.” Turns, searches desperately for a sympathetic face, spots Sensible and Friendly Author who rides to the rescue suggesting now is the time for more wine. Both head off at rapid pace for the bar.

Industry professionals are human. Some of them attend parties because writers’ associations throw brilliant social bashes. They can meet colleagues and clients on neutral ground and informally. But it would be naive not to think that most agents and editors are there to meet writers, possibly spot new talent and, ultimately, to be pitched to.

But there’s a way to do it:

Wait for the previous conversation to finish.
Don’t be over pushy or rude.
Don’t pitch for more than 2 to 3 minutes. Let the agent/editor respond.
When an editor or agent asks an encouraging question, they mean it. Go for it by a short answer like, “Rom-com with a twist,” inviting the response, “What sort of twist?” If the response is, “I hope it’s going well,” with a glazed look, it’s probably not going to work.
Watch for the signs that the agent/publisher wishes to finish the conversation and move on gracefully.

You don’t want to gain the reputation of being a pest, because a pest at a party is probably going to be a pest to work with. Editors and agents gossip amongst hemselves. You don’t want to be the one referred to as, “Oh, her! She trapped me in a corner at a do and tried to tell me the whole plot of her book. I had to spill my drink down myself to escape.”

After your short pitch, a professional follow-up letter within the week with your submission package mentioning meeting the agent/editor at the party and thanking them for their time is the best next step.

Although literary parties give you an opportunity to meet new people and network with those you already know, they are a place where good manners and restraint matter most.

That is, if you want to succeed in seeing your book published.

Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers, INCEPTIO, PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO and AURELIA. The fifth in the series, INSURRECTIO, was published in April 2016.

Find out more about Roma Nova, its origins, stories and heroines…

Rome and the wolf

The shocking news that the icon of Rome’s foundation, a life-size bronze statue of a she-wolf with two human infants suckling her, is about 1,700 years younger than its city hit the headlines this summer.

Scholars had long established that the bronze figures of Romulus and Remus feeding from their adopted wolf mother were added in the Renaissance. But the main sculpture’s link to antiquity, traditionally to the Etruscan period 5th century BC, wasn’t seriously questioned until the 1997 restoration.

The she-wolf was found to have been cast as a single unit, a technique typically used in the Middle Ages.

Ancient bronzes were cast in separate parts and then soldered together. First used by the Greeks and then adopted by Etruscan and Roman artists, the technique basically consisted of brazing the separate joints using bronze as welding material.

After much discussion, Rome’s officials decided to carry more in-depth tests to clear any doubt. Radio carbon testing has given the new dating range between 1021 and 1153 AD.

Oops!

So what about the wolf and Rome? The wolf – lupa – is a strong theme throughout the Roman period. Lupercalia was a very ancient, possibly pre-Roman (pre-753 BC) fairly raunchy pastoral festival, held in February to avert evil spirits, purify the city and promote health and fertility. But it was an excuse for a lot of rampant youth to run through the streets whipping women with wolfskin thongs – more here. By the 5th century AD, when the public performance of pagan rites had been outlawed, a nominally Christian Roman populace still clung to the Lupercalia in the time of Pope Gelasius I (494–96). So over a thousand years of the wolf.

Lupa was also a slang Latin word for prostitute, hence the famous lupercal in Pompeii. Is there a meretricious element here, both in the wolf and the festival?

The moral of the story? Whatever the historic background – and a thousand plus years is considerable background – never take history for granted and look out for the medieval wolf in Etruscan clothing.

What are publishing services providers?

Publishing services have come a long way since the old vanity publishers. In fact, the best of the providers aren’t even on the same ruler, let alone somewhere along the scale. Simply put, publishing services providers PSPs) are effectively a cross between traditional publishing and self-publishing.

A PSP as the name implies will guide you through the publishing business, edit, format your book for print and ebook, provide a cover and publish to online retailers. the good ones promote their authors’ books and provide on-going support, guidebooks and factsheets about e.g. the nitty gritty of marketing.

You can, of course, commission and pay for services separately from individuals: cover design, editing, interior design, formatting and uploading and marketing support. A PSP can provide a package tailored to your needs and do all this for you. But see the advantages/disadvantages section below.

Worth noting – publishing services providers (PSPs) should not be confused with subsidy publishing. For the most part, subsidy publishers will take anything as long as you are willing to pay, and after the basic design, production, print and submission to online booksellers. Anything more, e.g. marketing, is an additional paid add-on. Subsidy publishers only differ from vanity publishers in that they are usually upfront about what they are offering.

Vanity publishers are a step along from subsidy publishers and should be avoided like the plague. They promise the earth (with a high bamboozle factor), can take your rights plus charge you astronomical fees, often in the multiple thousands, typically 10,000. Think velociraptors.

What’s in a PSP?
Back to a saner option. There are good PSPs and there are (a lot of) bad PSPs. The good ones act like traditional publishers in that they won’t accept every author who comes to them waving a manuscript. As a filter, the good ones stipulate a manuscript assessment before providing a quotation.

How does it work with a publishing services provider?
The company publishes the book, just like a traditional publisher does. But instead of paying the author for the rights to his work, the author retains all his/her rights (print, ebook, audio, media, etc.) and pays the publisher to publish the book. Effectively, the author shares the cost with the publisher. And a sign of a good provider is that they highlight the author as the copyright holder. This is extremely important. On no account should you cede any rights. You are granting the PSP a non-exclusive licence to publish your book. Anything else compromises your position.

A good PSP will expect you to have your book professionally edited. A better one will offer it alongside their publishing package which should include book design – typesetting, interior layout, cover – CIP registration, legal deposits, proofing, that all important ISBN number with barcode without which you cannot get your books into a bookstore, Nielsen Bookdata entry, and these days, ebook conversion.

Most importantly, a good PSP will have a well-designed website featuring its books on the front page and an online shop. It should set up warehousing and distribution so that bookshop orders are fulfilled via major wholesalers. The two main book distributors in the US are Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and Gardeners, Bertrams in the UK. Make sure your chosen company uses at least one.

How to find a good company?
Ask other authors and search reputable forums. I heartily recommend consulting The Independent Publishing Magazine publishing index which scrutinises and scores all types of self and independent publishing support. Talk to other writers and research the books published by these providers: what is the quality of the paper, is the print inside readable? Is the text tiny or squashed on to the page with no margins? Is the cover chucked together or properly designed? Can you read the back cover blurb? Are the fonts on the cover easy on the eye, but clear?

There are advantages and disadvantages with PSPs
You, the author, are paying for the service, and often quite a hefty amount. It’s an investment in yourself and your work. So it’s up to you to scrutinise any contract or agreement to check exactly what you are getting. It’s a professional service like that of a solicitor or accountant. Caveat emptor!

Even though your books are distributed it can be difficult to get the major bookstores to carry them. This is something to investigate with your chosen PSP; some have accounts with the major stores plus position their books across a wide range of online outlets. For bricks and mortar shops, you may have better luck with independent booksellers. Amazon, however, is the great equaliser. But as with a traditional publication deal, it’s ultimately up to you, the author, to market and promote your book.

You have control over decisions – you’re paying for the service – and it’s comforting to get advice and moral support from an experienced team who are equally invested in your project.

Every author has to make the decision that feels right for them and their situation. It can be a good way to learn the ropes of the book world and how to publish a book. I still use the same interior design I learnt from my time using a PSP. After you’ve gained confidence and experience of getting your book from computer file to market, you may then ‘graduate’ into doing everything yourself (as I did!).

If we’ve learned anything from the explosion of self-publishing, it’s that there isn’t just one way to do things anymore. Some people in the book world have strong opinions that you should never pay to publish, but even with a traditional house, an author only receives their royalties after all the costs (and publisher profit) have been deducted by the publisher. Self/indie author-publishers keep much more of the sales receipts than traditional authors receive, but they have to fund themselves all the services to get to publication and afterwards. It’s all about choice. That’s what makes this such an exciting time in publishing.

Updated December 2021: Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers – INCEPTIO, CARINA (novella), PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO, AURELIA, NEXUS (novella), INSURRECTIO and RETALIO, and ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories. Audiobooks are available for four of the series.Double Identity, a contemporary conspiracy, starts a new series of thrillers. Double Pursuit, the sequel, is now out!

Find out more about Roma Nova, its origins, stories and heroines and taste world the latest contemporary thriller Double Identity… Download ‘Welcome to Alison Morton’s Thriller Worlds’, a FREE eBook, as a thank you gift when you sign up to Alison’s monthly email newsletter. You’ll also be among the first to know about news and book progress before everybody else, and take part in giveaways.

The Next Big Thing...

Last Wednesday I was tagged by the marvellous writer Victoria Lamb for The Next Big Thing. This week, it’s my turn to answer the following questions and tag a few other writers in my turn.

What is the title of your next book?
INCEPTIO

Where did the idea for the book come from?
INCEPTIO is the first of the Roma Nova series set in the present day but in an alternate world, where women rule a European country founded by Romans sixteen centuries before. My heroine, living alone in New York, doesn’t have a clue about how strong her connection is to the mysterious Roma Nova until she meets a spy in disguise and a government enforcer who kidnaps and tries to kill her. And then it gets personal…

My memory of me as a eleven year old, walking amongst the mosaic floors in Ampurias (Spain), listening to my father explaining about Romans still lives in my mind. I asked him, ‘What would it have been like if women were in charge?’ He stopped and looked at me. ‘Well, what do you think it would have been like?’ And the thought germinated and grew. Very, very slowly.

What genre does your book fall under?
Alternate history thriller

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
A while ago, Meg Ryan and Val Kilmer, with Judi Dench and Alexander Siddig. Today, probably Bryce Dallas Howard and Orlando Bloom, with Meryl Streep and Ben Barnes.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It will be published though SilverWood Books, based in Bristol, a publishing services company. It will be out in early March 2013.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Ninety days, and it was rubbish! I self-edited with the help of my critique partner and did about four runs through. I like to bash the plot out, then refine and layer the story and finally go through it line by line to make each word and sentence earn their keep. Then I seek professional help, as they say…

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I don’t know any other books like the ones I write! Not exactly like them, anyway. First of all, they’re spy thrillers with plenty of action, conspiracy and betrayal. And this first one, INCEPTIO, has a cracking, complex villain. Next, my heroine (mostly) overcomes culture change and evolves into an identity which she realises is a natural fit for her, a world away from her previous unsatisfactory existence. And of course there’s romance and heartbreak. But running through are tough Roman values and the “fight or die” imperative feeding into the “what if?” alternate history.
So, to answer the question, a mix of Lindsey Davis’ Falco series, J.D Robb’s Eve Dallas Death series and Robert Harris’ Fatherland.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?
An itch to get the story out there! Bubbling away since I was eleven, the story burst out from the gooey mess beneath during the visit to the cinema when my husband and I were watching a dire film.
‘I could do better that that,’ I whispered in the darkened cinema.
‘So why don’t you?’ came his reply.
Three months later, I had completed the first draft.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
We seem to have an endless fascination for things Roman, but I didn’t want to write a swords and sandals epic – there’s far too much competition. Nor did I want to impose 21st century values, ideas or roles on to women in Republican, Principate or Dominate Roman societies. There were some remarkable women’s actions and voices recorded, but they are very, very few. So projecting forward to the 21st century where I could have a feminist switch was too tempting to resist. I think that piques!

INCEPTIO will be out on 1 March 2013.

I’d like to tag, in my turn, these writers:

Matt Mitrovich who as well as editing the wonderful Alternate History Weekly Update site, writes and blogs at Matt Mitrovich, Author

Paula Lofting, author of Sons of the Wolf and blogger at Paula Lofting, Historical Fiction Writer

Dominion

A tough and powerful word, but an appropriate title for C J Sansom’s new book. Famous for his Shardlake Tudor series, here Sansom brings us to 1952 in an alternate, authoritarian Britain which made peace with Hitler in 1940. Not formally occupied, Britain is nevertheless dominated by the Nazi regime. Its home-grown “milice” – a vastly expanded and violent Special Branch working hand-in-hand with the Gestapo dispensing brutality from the basement of the German Embassy at Senate House – patrols the dismal and dirty streets.

Germany is still fighting a bitter, savage war against Russia, the British press, radio and television are filled with propaganda and British Jews face ever greater constraints.

The hero, David Fitzgerald, is a civil servant hiding his Jewishness and trying to preserve his marriage which is collapsing under the pressure of his secret life as a spy for the Resistance. The antagonist, Gunther Hoth, a Gestapo policeman hunting Fitzgerald and his Resistance colleagues, is neither stupid nor inexperienced and almost becomes a sympathetic character. This is no “Dick Barton” adventure with clear-cut lines.

Dense with detail that makes its portrayal of everyday life so vivid, the action starts slowly, but by the end, the tension is almost unbearable. Real events like Great Smog of 1952 are woven it to ramp up the threatening atmosphere and clever details about the alternate1950s are grafted on to real ones, such as British Corner Houses replacing Lyons Corner Houses (Joe Lyons was, of course, Jewish).

The characters are beautifully, often painfully, drawn and fleshed out with past histories full of awkward relations, tiresome colleagues, happy and painful childhoods. Complex, sometimes very frightened, the characters are always human. Their dialogue mirrors this as well as driving the story forward.

Although interacting with the characters’ story, the overarching political plot does not reply upon their actions. The seeming important secret is of negative importance. In one way, this is unsatisfactory, in another it emphasises how the actions of ordinary people do not impact or contribute to the bigger one. In this book, that would have been too pat.

Part adventure, part espionage, all encompassed by terrific atmosphere, this is an exciting, but moving account of people who become heroic but remain very human.