Behind the Author’s Curtain

Ask any novelist what readers most want to know at a book signing, and the answer never varies. Not "how do you structure a plot," not "how do you find an agent," and certainly not "would you mind signing this to my mum, her name's Sandra." No. The question, asked with the hopeful air of someone expecting a treasure map, is always the same: where do you get your ideas? I understand the impulse. There's a lovely assumption buried inside it, the notion that somewhere out there sits a secret … continue reading

Of all the questions people ask when they discover what I do for a living, the one they actually want answered is rarely the one they say out loud. They ask where my ideas come from, or whether I've met anyone famous. What they mean is: how much money do you make? Most people are far too polite to ask directly. The bloke who cuts my hair is not most people. So, in the spirit of saving him the trouble next month, here's the honest answer about author earnings. Not the Instagram version. The … continue reading

It is the question every novelist fields more than any other, usually from someone you half-remember from school who has resurfaced on Facebook after decades of total silence. "Saw you write books now! How long does it take?" And there it sits, waiting, as though I might reply with a figure as tidy as a boiler service interval. The truthful reply disappoints everyone. It depends. It depends on the book, the year, the writer, and the unpredictable nature of life. "It depends" makes for a … continue reading