When I first started on my writing career I was lucky enough to work for Horrible Histories writer Terry Deary. I spent a number of years working alongside Terry as a researcher on a string of Horrible Histories titles. Looking back this was more than just a job, it was an apprenticeship. It opened my eyes to, not only, writing children’s non-fiction, but was also an insight into how big publishers work and how it was possible for writers to actually make money in a very competitive industry.
So, in the spirit of web 2.0, here’s the eight things I learned from Horrible Histories:
- You are producing a product not a book: It was made very clear from the start that Horrible Histories was a product. In fact, it was a brand and a brand that sold predictably well. It was these predictable sales that made the series the power house it still is today. I also learned very quickly that no one wanted to mess with the basic concept. Scholastic (the publisher), as well as Terry, took a very clear ‘we are writing to a formula’ approach.
- Be excellent: To this day I maintain that Terry Deary is the greatest ever children’s non-fiction writer. He has a very clear understanding of his craft, an uncanny insight into the mindset of his audience and understands his place in the wider picture. In short, he has distilled what it is that makes him excellent and delivers it constantly with each book. For me, this was highlighted in his ability to sieve through pages and pages of research to find a gem of information and then build a whole section around a fact that had passed me by as unimportant.
- It is your vision: Terry also taught me that the publisher is not always right. He often explained that it was him, as the writer, who understood the book better than anyone else. As a result he would resist, with a passion, anything that messed with his vision. Marketing, sales and the wider strategy were areas he had an input but never a massive voice. However, when it came to words on the paper he would fight tooth and nail to keep his vision intact.
- Publishers play a very important role: I learned very quickly that publishers were the key to success. This might seem obvious, but it is very easy for a writer to become precious about their idea, leading to conflict with the publisher. At the end of the day the publisher WILL have the final say. As a writer you have to bend and sway with the publishing breeze, moulding your product into something that sells. In a way this contradicts the above point, but Terry would only stand his ground in the face of the publishers when they wanted to mess with a concept that had ALREADY proved it would sell.
- It is a partnership: Wow did I learn this quickly. It takes lots of people to make a book. The writer is just the start. Add into this an editor, a proofreader, a typesetter, an illustrator, the marketing guy, the marketing guy’s boss, the editor’s boss and you start to get a feeling for just how many people are involved. This list fails to take into account researchers, picture researchers, third party experts and the many other people who may be asked to lend a hand. You must realise that you are just a cog in the machine. The reality is that the bigger the sales, the bigger the cog you become but is ALWAYS a partnership.
- It is not all smooth sailing: Publishing is full of big egos – very big egos. The result is that arguments and differences of opinions are common place. It is all part of the game. However, as a writer you need to learn very quickly to not become an obstacle. It is a delicate balance between standing your ground and swaying with the breeze. It is vital you never become a ‘problem’ writer but it’s also essential that you get your voice heard, even if it is ignored.
- Write quickly: On average writers get paid very little – end of story. However, the POTENTIAL earnings are huge. If you are the writer of the next big thing then you have the potential to make millions. However, the reality is that you will not write the next big thing. So the alternative is to write lots of books and get lots of small amounts of cash flowing in each year. The beauty with royalties is that once the book is written it is money for old rope. In an ideal world a writer should also not go for an advance, but instead ask for a slightly higher royalty rate. This may be a problem in the short term but can pay off in the long run.
- It is about what happens to people: Terry explained to me within the first few weeks of working with him that Horrible Histories were not history books. Instead, they were stories about what had happened to people in the past. He would always say ‘events are boring; it is what happens to the people that is interesting.’
I hope this helps give you a bit of an insight into an industry that is shrouded in mystery for most unpublished writers.
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