Brit Writers & Me

Tell us how you started your journey with Brit Writers

For a while I had been going through the motions of sending submissions to agents, but to no avail. Of the roughly 30 agents I had submitted to, only one asked to see the whole manuscript. But that one didn’t come to anything either, although I am told it was what they call a ‘near miss’.

I then went through a period of mourning and self-loathing before coming across Brit Writers and entering the unpublished writers’ competition. Although I didn’t win it was suggested that I might try the referral service they provide, and through that I was put in touch with Imran.

Following several phone calls to discuss my submission package and where I could be going wrong there, I met up with Imran to discuss my book and how I could best place it in the world. He liked the strong message it carries, promoting awareness about child trafficking and prostitution through a fictional story.

We went through the book identifying any issues that might concern prospective agents and publishers. Aside from the fact that the controversial subject matter might be an issue for some, we wanted to ensure there was nothing else that would give them an excuse to turn it down. Imran had previously given my manuscript to a couple of readers asking them to be as critical as possible, but aside from a few small issues, which were easily rectified, they were very positive about it. With the reassurance that my book was the best it could be, Imran suggested we send over a submission package, that included a cover letter, biog, synopsis and the first three chapters, to four agents and one publisher to get feedback.

What was the general feeling among the agents and was your book picked up by anyone?

I would love to be able to say yes, they jumped on it right away and the rest is history, but it wasn’t to be so easy. Three agents came straight back to us, one within twenty-four hours, and both Diane Banks and Eve White asked to see the full manuscript, which raised my hopes perhaps too high so early on. Unfortunately, it was not for them at that time. Imran told me not to be too disheartened, that this was just the beginning and there were many other options available to me. I guess it’s always the dream of every new author that they will be dragged victorious down the traditional publishing route to unequivocal fame and fortune, but in reality, these days, it’s a rarity.

So what happened next?

Well, I picked myself up and Imran suggested we try a few more agents, with a couple more publishers thrown in. What happened next still haunts me as to whether I made the right choice, because a publisher did like my book and offered to take me on. But, and here’s the crunch: they wanted 80-85% of the royalties. Now what would you do? Would you take the ‘kudos’ that being with a proper, real publisher brings and give up all that hard work in order that someone else might reap the rewards, or would you step out alone into the harsh, endless winter of self-publishing and go it alone? That was basically the choice; I could have continued sending my manuscript out in the hope that I might get a better deal, but if that’s what a publisher wanted from me, and I’d had an agent on board too, what would have been left for me? I would have lost control, been beholden to a publisher’s demands, and probably lost my identity to boot. So after much deliberation and head banging, Imran said that if I took the leap into the unknown world of self-publishing, that Brit Writers would help and back me all the way.

Why do you suppose Imran persevered with you and your book?

I think that’s a question you need to ask him! I don’t know, except that Brit Writers is about supporting new writers, especially ones that have a purpose. My book, Ring Around Rosie, was written to create awareness about child trafficking and prostitution. It’s something I knew nothing about before I began researching it, and now that I know about this horrifying world I want others to know too. And teenagers, I think, are a good place to start; they are keen to learn, and have no preconceptions about things they know nothing about. I think that educating them though fiction will help them better understand the reality. And this, I guess, is what attracted Imran – that, and a great story, obviously!

 

So, you’re out there, alone, in the unchartered world of self-publishing. 

How’s that going for you?

Well, not too bad. I published an ebook on Amazon and after four weeks it peaked at number 3 on Amazon.co.uk’s bestseller list for children’s Action & Adventure. In fact, it got stuck behind The Jungle Book at number 2, and Treasure Island at number 1, which I guess I can’t be too bitter about! And it also got to number 3 on Amazon.com’s bestseller list for Teen Mysteries & Thrillers.
 

It’s by no means easy, though. I spend way too much of my time on social media sites, shamelessly plugging myself. And that’s not something I find easy at all, it pulls me way out of my comfort zone, and I wish sometimes that I could just be the writer I want to be, not the publicist I hate. But this is the path I’ve chosen, for now, so I have to make the best of it. But you know, it’s only my first book, I can’t expect to stroll confidently into the party and be accepted straight away. I realise I have to work for it, and so I will, as hard and for as long as it takes.

And there are great people out there that want to help and are incredibly supportive. There’s everyone at Brit Writers, obviously. And there are others I’ve met along the way like Yvonne Grace, and Maia Walczak, and Sheryl Browne, and Paddy Tyrrell, and Laura Besley, and Danica Worthy, and Michelle Goode, and, and, and…. There are too many to name them all, but the point is, I’m not alone, there are many others out there who are in the same situation, or at the very least understand what I’m going through, and just having that support is what keeps me going.

Based on your experience with self-publishing so far, would you recommend it to others?

At this stage I would say yes, but, firstly, be prepared to shift your perception of what self-publishing means to you. Yes you publish without the backing from a traditional publisher, by yourself, but don’t do it alone. Get advice, build a support network, give your time to others so that they might reciprocate. Friends are important in this game, and I don’t mean your mates back home, I mean like-minded supporters who know what you’re going through, people you admire. Self-publishing suggests you are alone but actually you need all the friends you can scrape together to keep your mind on the job, as well as keep you sane.

Ring Around Rosie is available to download from Amazon

The Brit Writers’ Awards, as seen from somewhere near the back, by Emily Pattullo

The Brit Writers’ Awards, as seen from somewhere near the back, by Emily Pattullo

It was an honour to be invited to the Brit Writers’ Awards at the weekend. I’m not sure why I was invited, I wasn’t up for any awards; I hadn’t even entered this year. Between you and me, I think it was because I can do an awesome wolf whistle, or maybe someone more important couldn’t make it and they needed to fill a seat. Whatever the reason, I was happy to be included in what is fast becoming the hot ticket event of the year – move over X Factor! 

And what a spread it was. There was a red carpet, a stage, an audience, and an obscene amount of talent, all brought together for the sole purpose of celebrating great writing. And then there was me, somewhere near the back, supping contentedly on a glass of bubbles, and in complete bewildered awe of the diversity of people in that room.

I don’t think I’ve ever won anything of any consequence, so I can only imagine the excitement and, quite possibly, terror that each finalist must have felt that night. Two of the finalists were sitting at my table, Yvonne Marjot who was nominated for the adult poetry award, and Joel Cranefield for the under 16s songwriting award. And imagine my surprise and elation when both won their category right there in front of me and my starter. Not a great time to bring out the wolf whistle, but I clapped until my hands were sore, and glowed like a proud mother, even though I hadn’t met either of them before that evening.

And that really sums up the vibe that night. Despite the fact it was a competition, and a fierce one at that, there wasn’t a feeling of one-upmanship, there was genuine support and encouragement from everyone. And I credit that to the accessibility of the Brit Writers’ Awards and the diversity of people that entered. And it wasn’t just adults that were being commended, it was children too, sharing the limelight and accepting equal admiration for their talent, despite their age and relative inexperience.

And then there was me, who, whilst devouring my main course, heard my name spoken from somewhere in the chandeliers. And before I’d even had a chance to realise it wasn’t due to one glass too many, there was a microphone in my face and all I could do was pray I didn’t have gravy running down my chin. That’ll teach me to sit smugly in my seat, glad of my anonymity. There I was, answering questions about my book, without a pre-prepared script and in front of several hundred people. I’m not sure what I said, but I have even more respect for those hugely talented winners who accepted their awards with such dignity.

And then all that remained was for the man himself, the driving force behind Brit Writers, Imran Akram, to take a bow and accept the accolade for his part in giving us writers the chance to tout our wares, despite the temperamental climate.

Ring Around Rosie by Emily Pattullo 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009T5W4TC/ref=tag_dpp_yt_edpp_rt#tags

@EmilyPattullo

www.emilypattullo.com

The Best Things in Life are FREE

There is something about the word FREE that makes you feel a little bit special. Those four letters stir a sleeping element that sparks at the sight and flickers with anticipation at a promise of something that might otherwise be unobtainable, or was perhaps previously uninteresting. FREE suggests accessibility, indicates towards the potential. After all, who would dismiss a compliment? Even if there’s not an impressive bargain to be had you’re still left with a feeling of triumph for not having parted with a penny. It’s instant gratification and one in the eye for others who had to pay for theirs, especially if it’s FREE for a limited time only. It means you got in there just in time; you were on the ball, and retail savvy.

And that is why my novel, Ring Around Rosie, is FREE to download for the next five days. Because I want people to feel that way about owning my book; that they saved a few pennies when times were hard, that they’ve earned themselves a treat after a long, unyielding year. It’s nearly Christmas after all: a time for giving :-)

Download here

Brit Writers Interview with Emily Pattullo

Brit Writers

Ring Around Rosie by Emily Pattullo… is a thriller for teenagers based on the terrifying world of child trafficking.

Rosie discovers a gate leading to an old war bunker where she sees some mysterious men. The men turn out to be child traffickers, and the rebellious fourteen-year-old gets caught and taken to London along with many other children that have been shipped into the country. Rosie faces prostitution, the plight of others much worse off than her, as well as her own demons, all while her brother Ted and student journalist Martha – with help from a few friends along the way – scour London and its dark recesses in a race to save Rosie before it’s too late.

What inspired you to write Ring Around Rosie?

It happened by accident really. I wanted to write a book about smuggling; I like the covert aspect and there’s plenty of scope for material whether past or present. But when I researched present-day smuggling it wasn’t smuggling that came up on the searches, it was trafficking, and it wasn’t inanimate objects, it was people! It took me completely by surprise. And as I read the stats that included 2.4 million people trafficked each year, half of which are children; the second largest source of illegal income worldwide, exceeded only by drugs, I knew I had to write about it.

I had already decided I wanted to write a book for teenagers, but this merely confirmed it for me. After all, they’re the ones that are really going to face the problem of trafficking; although there are amazing people out there now, tackling it, it’s going to be years before true impact is made. In fact, two years ago, when I started writing this book, there was barely anything about child trafficking on the internet, and very little in the media. So already it’s come a long way.

I hope that by imbedding a very real issue into a fast-paced, contemporary thriller it will be appealing to teenagers; it’s only when they’ve finished that they’ll realise they’ve been left with quite a different view of the world.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

Man, it’s been a long one. I’m not sure there’s enough room on your website! To cut a very long story short: I did the agent submission thing, got loads of rejections, a couple of ‘near misses’, entered Brit Writers competition, didn’t win, cried a bit, did the agents and publisher referral, got some good advice on my submission package, submitted again, got some interest, lost the interest, cried some more, got more advice about my story from Brit Writers, more interest from a couple of publishers, refused them the shirt off my back, decided to publish as an ebook. The end (or rather, the beginning).

How important are initiatives like Brit Writers?

I love Brit Writers. They literally saved me from becoming someone who wrote a book once (but don’t ask her about it). The frustration and demoralisation of receiving endless rejection letters after your hard work has been languishing on the (insultingly-dubbed) slush pile for months, is something I nearly allowed to beat me into submission (or rather out of it). I could rant about the unfairness of it all for hours, but what I’d rather say is, there are other ways to get your book noticed and appreciated, and Brit Writers helped me to see that.

What advice do you give to new and unpublished writers that read this?

Until you have experienced a struggle you can't fully appreciate the rewards of the end success you are striving for. If it all falls into your lap then you take it for granted, and then it's more likely to slip through your fingers and be gone before you even knew what you had.

 

What’s next for Emily Pattullo?

Lots more of this, and then onto the next.

www.emilypattullo.com

The prayer of a sex trafficked child

The prayer of a sex trafficked child

Ring around Rosie (eBook)

You can now buy my book here too: Ring around Rosie (eBook)

Into the abyss of Amazon ebooks

My first novel is now available on Amazon and I’m (I want to say crapping myself, but because this is a public blog, I’ll say…) terrified. Up until now it has just been something that is going to happen in the future, at some point, when I feel it’s ready, but now it’s been plucked, preened and polished to within an inch of its life there are no more excuses. But my fear (and I feel I can be frank) is that it will be swallowed up and forgotten in Amazon’s ebook abyss.

I’m sure there’ll be a flutter of excitement to start with from friends who had no idea I’d even written a book, and a few will be downloaded just so they can see whether or not it’s actually worthy of a pat on the back and “I know her”, or whether it’s going to be playground gossip fodder that’ll keep them going until Christmas. But what comes after that? I’m not sure I’m ready to be known as someone who published an ebook once (but don’t talk about it in front of her).

So how do I prepare for this? I don’t suppose there’s a manual outlining the dos and don’ts, with an epilogue at the back listing the seven stages of grief if it doesn’t work out. So once I’ve exhausted the friends and relatives pity pool, and tweeted my handful of long suffering followers, where else can I find a sympathetic audience?

I know I’m not alone in this, there seem to be literally thousands of authors out there desperately plugging their book, boasting five-star ratings that they blatantly borrowed from the pity pool I spoke of earlier, and using every devious and desperate measure they can think of to get attention. The trouble is, I write because I can’t act, or sing (actually, I can, but not in public), or dance, or anything else that calls for public displays of confidence. I write from the safety of my dingy office, from behind my well-worn computer, about other people, with elements of myself buried deep in the pages, never out in the open.

So for me, releasing my book out into the world is like when your child has a tantrum in public and you walk away tutting and shaking your head as if it’s someone else’s child; suddenly a part of me has wriggled free and is making a spectacle of itself on Amazon, and in order to get it back where it belongs, I have to admit to it being mine. 

The 140 characters that dictate my life

I recently joined Twitter – admittedly with some apprehension – as a necessity towards getting my book and myself ‘out and about’. (There was a time when getting yourself out and about was a physical undertaking, but now you can get there from the comfort of your own home, whilst sitting or even lying down!) But it takes courage because it’s an intimidating world. It’s like gate-crashing a party that only the cool people have been invited to. And although it’s easy to get through the door, you’re left crawling around in a sea of legs like a small child, pulling on the skirts and trousers of strangers, trying to find your mum.

So I began to tentatively navigate my way through this mysterious world, first by suggesting, politely, that people might like to follow me so they could hear about my new book… silence. I then posted a couple of links to my site and blog… nothing. Then I plugged a few other bloggers (re-tweeted is the term)… nada. By this point I was beginning to feel like a pig at a bar mitzvah. So I reached for the final weapon in my arsenal and resorted to begging. Apparently that’s not the done thing. After a couple of spams offering to sell me followers, I received a firm but gentle message from some kind person saying ‘You gain more followers by participating in Twitter, by interacting constructively, by networking, and building friendships’. In other words, impudent newbie, you’ve got to put the time and effort in!

Shortly after what I can only imagine is Twitter’s initiation period, Brit Writers took pity on me and began following me, as did a few others, and suddenly I wasn’t alone anymore. I had become one of them: a Twit, if that’s an accepted term. I don’t suppose it is, but I’ve joined a club that allows you to say exactly what you feel at any given moment. And it’s surprisingly addictive. It’s a release for all those pent-up opinions, and the great thing is, because you are only allowed 140 characters there’s no endless ranting. You must get straight to the point in just a few words. Admittedly there are times when I have nothing to say, but I feel like I should say something just to make my presence known, so that’s when I whack in a line from my novel, and hey presto, I’m back in the game!

And it is a game; aside from wanting to be the one to utilise the 140 characters in the most profound and influential way, it’s actually all about how many followers you have. That is your badge of honour, proof that you weren’t picked last for the team, respect at last for who you are and what you are trying to do. That number, heckling you from the screen, is your nemesis, and the only way to beat it is to tweet as if your life depended on it.

I’ve never been one for blowing my own trumpet, but I’m having to learn how, and tweeting seems to be an acceptable way of doing it. And presumably the more followers you have the more people there are to listen to you play. So as I pucker up and head back onto the stage I have only one hope; that everyone will enjoy the show.

@EmilyPattullo

The Zzzed Fest

For an impatient person (like me), the process of establishing yourself as an author is an agonisingly slow and torturous one. Ironically, it’s often the writing of a book that’s the quick and easy part, not to mention the most enjoyable; it’s what comes after that drags like an old smoker.

The other ‘arts’ have it so easy. It takes mere moments to pass judgement on a piece of music, a photograph, or a painting. So, provided the artist/e can get their work in front of the right person, they should get a yea or nay in a matter of hours. Us writers, on the other hand, get to twiddle our writing implements for what can sometimes amount to years (yes, really!) – a few months ago I received an email from an agent saying: “I’m sorry it’s taken me a few weeks to get to your book, things do get rather stacked up...” I couldn’t remember sending that particular agent anything recently, and when I looked back through my emails I discovered I had sent her my submission back in May 2011! I dutifully ignored her tardiness and winged over the requested manuscript and, four months on, I have heard nothing.

In an ideal world, the fortunate recipient of your masterpiece would snuggle down in a quiet room and devote several uninterrupted hours to devouring it in all its splendour, before delivering a fair and hopefully favourable verdict. In reality, it can be weeks before it’s read, and then it’s likely to be whilst the reader juggles a million other commitments. Meanwhile, you’re at home, or work, or play, trying not to think about how long it’s been since they would have received your manuscript, and how much you’d like to garrotte an effigy of them just so they might have some idea of the torture you’re going through.

I was always baffled when reading articles about authors and their road to success; how so many of them said it took years to get their book/s published. I used to think, blimey, what the hell have you been doing with your time? Clearly you’re not as dedicated and determined as me! Now I realise it was because of their determination and dedication that they were able to say, publically, it took a long time but I finally did it, as opposed to it took too long so I gave up.

Get Down with the Trumpets.... then clear up this mess!

I got a Kindle for my birthday a few months ago and I’ve read the entire Hunger Games Trilogy (awesome, and thoroughly enjoyable, btw), and then I read 'Madeleine: Our Daughter’s Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her', swiftly followed by 'Trafficked: The Terrifying True Story of a British Girl Forced into the Sex Trade'. 

And did I mention I’ve written a novel about a 14-year-old British girl who accidentally gets caught by child traffickers and forced into prostitution?

There is a pattern emerging here (aside from the Hunger Games bit, that was a glitch and, frankly, a well-deserved holiday for my nerves!) and it’s no accident. But I’m not entirely sure whether it’s a perverse interest in the actual subject matter or whether it’s part of an inane desire to remind myself how fortunate I am. Because, like others in the same position as me, desperately trying to get someone, anyone to take an interest in their book, I have those down days when life is crap, my writing sucks, and what the hell am I doing wasting my time? And it’s during these times of self-pity that I slap myself around the face and hunker down with a good book that speaks of others less fortunate. But that in itself is self-indulgent; it’s a pat-on-the-back that I’m doing alright, Jack. I have a place to live, a healthy family, and a few nuggets in the bank. I’m not desperately searching for a loved one or suffering intense emotional trauma. I’m fine… but apparently that’s not enough.

So then I move on to consoling myself with the thought that when I get my novel published it will create more awareness of the unspeakable (literally, it seems) horror that is child trafficking for the one group of humans that stand a chance of doing something about it – the next generation. I wholeheartedly believe that our hoody-clad teens are going to save the world, one hip-hop at a time. After all, it’s going to take a lot more than just us to even make a dent in the 2.45 million people that are trafficked each year (half of which are children) in the short time we have left on this earth. And that figure is likely to be vastly underestimated according to ECPAT UK (http://www.ecpat.org.uk). So we’ve got our work cut out for us, and we need help. So that is why my book is for Young Adults; it’s a gift from me to them, a sneaky peek into their future. 

And what a future it is.

Anyway, back to making me feel better about myself…

I've written a book! Thank you, thank you, I know, great achievement. But that's not the half of it... what the blazes do I do now? I thought writing it was the hardest thing I'd ever done, but let me tell you, that was just the beginning! It turns out there's a whole load more involved in getting the wretched thing published. And I was soooo blasé about it, I figured once I'd written my masterpiece (it is, honest), I would just wing it over to a few agents, they would fight over it and promise me the world, and I would be hugely rich and famous in a matter of months. Well, it turns out that's not the case. Apparently, it helps if you're famous already... or at least have a few best sellers under your belt, that's when they're really interested in you. Not if you're a nobody... a random who has written a book but no one has heard of you. I guess it's similar to getting that first job you've always wanted. They only want you if you have experience. Then the cry goes up: how do I get experience if no one will give me a shot!! 

So, here I am, flailing about uselessly on the edge of a ginormous pond, hoping someone will toss me in and give me a chance to swim with the big fish! 

So I tried a few agents, and a couple of publishers, and what followed was a barrage of rejection letters. And let me tell you, it's harsh being told that your 'masterpiece' is not, perhaps, such a masterpiece, but we wish you all the best with finding another agent who will tell you it is. Hurrumph!

What I am learning - and this is why I hope it's sooo hard, and why it all takes sooooo long - is humility. When I think of some of the people that made it BIG, eg. Richard Branson, Lady Gaga, JK Rowling, et al, they all started out like me: at the bottom, fighting their way, all the way, to build something out of their talents. They didn't give up, they kept battling away until someone (it only takes one person, but it has to be the right one) believed in them enough to blow their trumpet for them. But until you have experienced that struggle you can't fully appreciate the rewards of the end success you are striving for. If it all falls into your lap then you take it for granted, and then it's more likely to slip through your fingers and be gone before you even knew what you had.

So that's what I'll do too, I'll keep persevering because I know that when I do get there, when I finally achieve my goal of getting my book published, it will be the best feeling in the world because I'll know I didn't give up just because it all got a bit difficult, and I'll REALLY appreciate what I've achieved. 

At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

I am a regular contributor on the Brit Writers blog.