To my wonderful chums in the chasm...

I think the NZ Post Children's Book Awards are in good hands this year if this post by convenor Bernard Beckett is anything to go by. I had to laugh at the use of the masochist/sadist story - very apropos for book awards. And he's right I think. We might disagree on our favourites but most would agree on what reaches a good/the best standard. I have some books in contention but I am not overly hopeful. Its hard not to fall into that middle territory between not quite good enough for awards but not populist enough for commercial success. That middle territory always looks like a yawning chasm to me.

In my last post I bleated about some books that rode a tsunami of commercial success and yet were full of writerly annoyances. Things that I am repeatedly advised by blogging agents, editors and others should be fixed before an author even breathes in the direction of an agent, or publisher. One of the things that shocked me most as I stumbled for the umpteenth time over a missed editing opportunity was the fact that these books were agented and published by experienced industry professionals. Why didn't these professionals address any of the sloppiness or awkward technique? And what should I take from this?

In the end I take from it that publishing is an industry full of contradictions and exceptions. And being an author messes with your mind. Fifi Colston said it very well here. All the sparkly bits that the public perceive as being part of the creative life, all the things we dream of and hope for: the hordes of devoted fans, the soirees, the awards, the riches, the residencies, the festival invitations and the associated travel, are ephemeral, if they happen at all. We are all just usually huddling in the chasm together: despite the amazing talent and the hard work, the sweat, the tears and frustrations that you will find there. We keep trying to climb a little higher on the beautiful stories and illustrations that we are creating. But whatever else happens it is the fantastic company in the chasm that keeps me going and saves my sanity. Thanks chums

Will we all need an agent?

I'm discovering that the path to world domination is not as straightforward as I'd hoped. If I think I've taken two steps forward, I envariably find the next day I've gone a step back. Some days its two or three steps back. I haven't actually made the inroads into selling my books overseas that I thought I had, although I still have hopes that things may work out.

Yesterday I heard that some NZ publishers are tightening up their submissions process. Considering I made my first book sale out of the slush pile I find this a worrying trend. Will NZ go the way of overseas publishing and require an agent for the majority of submissions? We'd need to train up a lot of agents double-quick as they are a rare breed at the moment.

In the past i've loved the fact that you could get published in NZ without the help of an agent. but reading US blogs about the difficulties of getting an agent before you can even start thinking about submitting work to publishers strikes fear into my heart. Being a writer is fraught with difficulties to begin with. If you have to add the search for an agent to your search for a publisher it makes the whole thing more like Mt Everest, then Mt Taranaki. Good luck everybody. Don't forget your crampons and a good supply of oxygen.