Today I'm excited to welcome Jane Cable to the blog to share her journey chasing her dreams.
Business Plan or Butterfly Net?
I was amused a few
months ago when I found a worksheet from a course I attended in 2001, and
discovered I had written down that my life goal was to write a best-selling
novel. At the time, like Elaina, I was working as an accountant. I had just
started my own business and even finding the time to write a book seemed pretty
much impossible.
But three years
later, I did find myself writing. There had always been stories in my head, but
this one seemed to need to find its way onto my computer. And somehow I did
find the time; first thing in the mornings, and when my husband was working
late. Odd hours opened up around me and I was on my way.
The phrase ‘chasing
dreams’ implies a certain randomness, and for me conjures images of running
around with a butterfly net. Yet hunting down your dreams sounds decidedly
unromantic, although to the business strategist in me having a strategy
definitely appealed. But even the best laid plans…
The theory was
simple; you wrote the book, selected the agents who might like it, then sent it
off. If it was good enough one of them would sign you, and they would find you
a publisher. Before you knew it, your cover would be on railway posters and the
two-for-one tables on Waterstones. Cue hollow laughter from every writer
reading this.
My actual path
towards achieving my dream was more like a game of snakes and ladders. I knew
nothing about choosing a commercial genre so I just wrote what I knew. As well
as being an accountant (not ideal subject matter) I freelanced as a cricket
writer, so I wrote about that. Not even worrying about how fundamentally
unmarketable a romance set in a sport followed mainly by men would be.
But through my
unsuccessful submissions, an editor found me. She helped me to polish up my
work, she was the first ‘real author’ I’d had any contact with, and taught me a
lot about the basics. I felt I was getting closer. Some rejections even started
with ‘you write well, but…’
Five years later I
was still writing, loving it, but not getting anywhere. Except having produced
a book, The Cheesemaker’s House, which my mother believed in. Perhaps
this shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. Because she made me submit it to a
national competition and it reached the final four out of thousands of entries.
One of the judges, the lovely Sophie Hannah, took me to one side and said I had
a great voice but my work needed editing. When I told her it had been, she told
be to find a better editor.
On the back of the
competition I was signed by an agent. One of the real big guns. But I just
couldn’t cut it; despite all the guidance I received I lacked the technical
skill to turn The Cheesemaker’s House into the publishable novel he
wanted.
So I was back to
square one. So far chasing my dreams with all the happy randomness of a
butterfly hunter had not worked. I needed to plan for success.
First, I needed to
learn to write better, so I took myself off to Winchester Writers’ Festival.
While I was there I talked to potential editors, but was lucky enough to attend
workshops given by Margaret Graham, and realised that she offered an editing
service too. She actually became a valuable mentor and friend, has taught me so
much and offered constant support.
Still no publisher,
but at least now I knew it was because The Cheesemaker’s House was
cross-genre, so I took the indie route and put the book out there myself. I
didn’t know what I was doing, so I bought in publishing skill from Matador and
it certainly worked. Not a rip-roaring, overnight chart topper, but the book
has sold consistently well and I learnt a huge amount about marketing and
connecting with readers. I wasn’t chasing my dream any more, I was taking solid
steps to make it happen.
I was diverted by
another agent (due to another competition success) and although once again I
learnt a great deal, the publishing contract that resulted wasn’t that great,
although thankfully the company ceased to trade and I was free. This time I
took submission into my own hands, and was offered what I consider to be my
first real contract, with Sapere Books.
I love working with
Sapere, they are really good at creating a family feel for their authors and
the editing and covers are brilliant. But they are new so punch small in the
market, and although both Another You and Endless Skies have had
category bestsellers on Amazon, that still isn’t my dream.
In 2019 I was lucky
enough for my work to catch the eye of Charlotte Ledger at One More Chapter.
But the book wasn’t quite right. What would be? I needed a book with a hook and
settled down to write it. Once I wrote the right story, a commercial story, I
would be on my way.
But lockdown does
strange things and I had the random yet ultimately inspired idea to polish up
my second indie novel, give it a new uplit title and submit it to Charlotte.
She loved it, and The Missing Pieces of Us will be published in June,
along with a second novel in August. My carefully crafted book with a hook? Not
on your life… something entirely different… a book of my heart.
So even the best laid
plans can have surprising results… perhaps it’s time I took out that butterfly
net again.
About Jane Cable
Jane Cable writes haunting romance for Sapere Books under her own name, and women’s fiction for One More Chapter as Eva Glyn. Find out more on her website (www.janecable.com) or follow @JaneCable on Twitter and evaglynauthor on Instagram.
The Missing Pieces of Us
But Robin and Izzie are no longer those twenty-something lovers, and as they grow closer once more the missing pieces of their past weigh heavy. Now, to stop history repeating, Izzie and Robin must face facts and right wrongs…no matter how painful.
Comments
Post a Comment