Publishing a Novel by Caroline Gilfillan

THE young woman with shiny, blonde hair beamed at me. "We love your writing," she said, then added, "but we don’t think we can sell this novel. Can you come back to us when you’ve written another one?"

I gathered up my things and plodded off to the Tube.

This will be a familiar tale to most people who have put their heart and soul (and years of their life) into writing a novel.

Yet I can see the agents’ point of view. They make their living from selling novels to publishers: if they don’t believe a novel is commercial, it’s worthless to them, however good it might be.

Fast forward a few years. The publishing world has changed beyond belief. It’s now possible to print copies on demand: one or one hundred copies all cost the same unit price to the publisher.

So, about a year ago I made a big decision: I’d set up a small press based in Ulverston, and publish my latest novel myself.

The year that’s followed has been one of the most interesting of my life.

I had to sort out editing, proof reading, formatting and design, and then there was the little matter of uploading it to different online platforms and selling it.

Yet at the start of October my novel, The Terrace, a murder mystery set in North Norfolk, was published.

Now I’m doing book launches, selling copies and starting to get feedback from readers. They like it!

Yes, it’s been hard work, but rewarding in ways I hadn’t foreseen.

I enjoy chatting with readers about the book and the writing process.

It’s great to network with other writers, and satisfying to hold my book in my hands. If you want to get into print, I suggest you look into self publishing.

If you’d like to get a taste of The Terrace and perhaps buy a copy, come along to the book launch at the Laurel and Hardy Museum on Saturday, October 20, at 7 pm.

My special guest is Ulverston author Zosia Wand, who will be reading from her new novel, The Accusation.

Both novels are also available on Kindle, and from Suttons Bookshop in Market Street, Ulverston.