Ask the HarperCollins editor: part 5

Last week we began collecting responses to questions you asked us, from editors from all over the company (and world). Today's answers come from an editor based in our Sydney office. Feel free to leave your thoughts at the bottom.

SUBMISSIONS PROCESS:

I assume that most of the books you first investigate with a view to taking on come to you through the hands of trusted literary agents. What are some other ways you might become aware of a book? (bluestocking/Maria Bustillos)
We all read the paper and various magazines, watch the news and so on, and often these are places where you’ll find your next book – obviously this is more for non-fiction than fiction though. Very occasionally works will come to us from fellow colleagues, ie friend of a friend, but that is rare. I follow the career of short story fantasy writers with interest, sometimes you can see the beginnings of something longer coming from what they have written and published in anthologies and magazines. And, without wanting to sound trite, Authonomy is now another great place to find new writers. I also read a lot of blogs – a large number of bloggers are now published authors, so it’s another good place to spot talent and ideas.


Are you willing to take a chance on a large novel from a new author if the voice and story are good? (Jemstone/ J E Murphy)
Of course, I think this is something that all publishers and commissioning editors hope for! Steve Toltz is a great example of a new author who has written a large first novel – and has found great success so far, so is Gregory David Roberts (with Shantaram). And I know that with fantasy authors, we would prefer to pick up a book that has potential to be a series, rather than stand alone works, so the author can establish themselves.

Are agents worth their cut? (Mardi Johnson)
It depends on the agent – and, of course, a good agent would be worth it, simply because they already have the contacts in the industry needed to get your book on a publisher’s table and the reputation (one hopes) of having a great eye and taste. – which means a publishing house is more likely to look at what they offer. Not all agents are worth their cut, but I think that’s the case in any industry. It’s always good to do your research first, regardless.


EDITORIAL PROCESS:

Which of these would you be prepared to work with an author to get right, and which do you consider a prerequisite: structure, characterisation, pace, voice? (Sandrine/Dan Holloway)
I think we’d be prepared to work with an author on all these fronts to perfect the work, but naturally for a manuscript to attract attention from the initial reader, I’d expect some of these to be captivating already. I dare say that of this list, you’d expect to work on structure and pace most of all these things – because they can be worked on in a logical manner, whereas voice and characterisation are something more innate – these are the things that would make you want to buy the book in the first place.

Is it true that when writing a true life/non-fiction work, it doesn’t have to be complete before a publisher will accept it? (Sue1960/Sue Edwards)
There’s no hard and fast rule about this, it would depend on the writing. If we think the writing is impressive then naturally you encourage the author to finish so you can look at the work as a whole. But you could never say absolutely ‘yes, it’s true’. I think that’s one the main things about publishing – it doesn’t always follow a set of rules.

Is there equal interest from the publishers’ point of view in realistic YA fiction as opposed to that with fantasy elements? (Lallie/Laura Jarratt)
I would say so – there are fans of both out there so likewise there is interest in publishing both. The success of the Twilight series and Harry Potter don’t mean that authors like John Green (author of Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska) or the wonderful Louise Rennison (author of the Georgia Nicolson series) are any less popular. Australian author John Marsden with his Tomorrow series is a great example of realistic YA fiction that has been bestselling and continues to be. Authors like Judy Blume continue to sell too. In the end, it’s about the writing striking a resonance in readers.


AUTHONOMY:

Do you search through books on the site besides simply waiting to see what it kicks out? (Jemstone/ J E Murphy)
Definitely, that’s one of the best parts about Authonomy – being able to look outside of the Editor’s Desk Top Five – when time permits – and getting impressions from people’s reviews and feedback. As everyone knows, sometimes the best books don’t make it to the top of the pile, it’s a fact of life, so it’s always good to have a look through – and it’s also just plain interesting reading the reviews.