Posted by Maleeha Mir on 5 November 2024, in Event reports, News
Photos by Daniel Solomons, Words by Chris Russell
You can listen to an audio recording of this event via this link.
On Monday 4 November, Byte the Book was back at Covent Garden’s prestigious Ivy Club to discuss what it takes to get a book published and how writers can maintain momentum as their careers progress. The panel was chaired by Byte founder Justine Solomons and comprised authors Rob Starr, Tiffany Murray and Phil Lecomber, alongside literary agent James Wills.
Our panel from left to right: Tiffany Murray, Rob Starr, Justine Solomons, Phil Lecomber and James Wills.
There are, of course, as many publication stories as there are writers, and so the panel began by
sharing anecdotes of their personal routes into the industry. “It’s not a straight line,” reflected
Tiffany, the most experienced author in the line-up, as she shared how her journey kicked off with
an MA in Creative Writing (back in the days when grants were much easier to come by) that, via an
anthology, attracted her first literary agent. Rob’s introduction to authordom was somewhat more
gung-ho, with his background in running multiple businesses leading him down the self-publishing
path. “I don’t think about stuff,” he said, puncturing the stereotypical image of the over-analytical
writer. “I just do. My whole life has been me jumping, without thinking, and hoping that someone
has put a mattress out”. Phil, meanwhile, was the proof that good things come to those who wait.
When asked to describe his journey to publication, he said, with a smile: “It’s been long”. He has
recently published his first book at the age of sixty, but was writing short stories as early as his
teenage years. “There’s a lot of graft to it,” he mused, looking back over a lifetime of honing his
craft and testing ideas, all sandwiched between jobs and raising a family. “You’ve got to put in your
ten thousand hours”.
Phil Lecomber detailing his journey as an author and how he finally met his literary agent, James Wills.
Staying the course is perennially difficult in an industry that offers little in the way of stability, and so Justine next asked the panel for tips on how authors can ensure they’re equipped for the long haul. James, Phil’s agent, spoke of the inevitable dip that most writers experience, usually on multiple occasions, throughout their career. “Don’t quit in the dip!” he counselled. “There will always be a dip, and that’s when most people throw in the towel. But rejection is part of the deal. As an agent, I get rejected left, right and centre. It’s incredibly rare, basically unheard of, for everyone to love a book”. Phil spoke of the importance of marshalling feedback but underlined that it should ideally be professional in nature, and probably not from friends, who are prone to partiality. “Once I had something concrete to share,” he explained, “I paid an editor for an assessment report”. While he admitted that not everyone possesses the means for a professional critique, assessment reports are relatively affordable compared to full edits and, in his case at least, “fabulously helpful”.
Tiffany Murray discusses the pros and cons of joining a writing community or group to help new writers gain support and write consistently.
The spectre of self-doubt, which plagues every writer now and again, was given short shrift by Rob. “I haven’t got time for self-doubt,” he announced, in his inimitable style (Rob once ran fifty-two triathlons in a single year). “Everyone gets it, but you park it and move on. As soon as I start ‘doing’, the self-doubt goes”. Tiffany echoed this sentiment, pointing out that it’s typically when you move past the ideas stage and into the drafting – and then re-drafting phase – that the doubt seeps in. She fixes it with focus. “I vacuum-pack myself away from the world,” she said, “and just get on with it”.
Rob Starr shares his insights into dealing with self-doubt and advice on how writers can push their writing further.
The discussion closed with some rumination on an age-old question: are writers born or made? Phil
suggested that while some writers are lucky enough to be exposed to culture when they’re young –
and therefore receive something of a leg-up – we are all natural storytellers and this can be
jumpstarted at any time of life, with the right input. Rob spoke of gut instinct as a “superpower”,
asserting that while his instinct always sets him on the right path, most people are too afraid to
listen to theirs. James reminded the writers in the room that reading is essential, and that no matter
how much natural ability an author has, they must nurture that talent by reading widely, curiously
and voraciously.
James Wills sharing his experiences working as a literary agent today and his personal approach in championing his authors and supporting their writing careers.
Finally, Tiffany grappled with the question head-on: “Are writers born or made? I think … both. It really is about staying on the bus. I’ve read so many promising first chapters, but then those people never finish their books. They don’t treat it like a job”. And as straightforward as it might sound, simply turning up to write – considering it a job, and respecting it accordingly – appears to be the secret sauce. “At the end of the day, perseverance is more important than talent”.
Our attentive audience enjoying our engaging panel.
Thank you to The Ivy Club for hosting our event!
You can see more photos from our fantastic photos from 'Staying on the Bus - How to Succeed as an Author' event here!
