I was on a walking holiday in the Alsace last month when I received an email that was long overdue. I sold a story.
It’s been literally months since I sold anything. So long, in fact, that I’m beginning to think all my emails to My Weekly are going into the spam folder. But a story about a Victorian lady gardener that I sent into Alan at The People’s Friend in January obviously hit the sweet spot. I’d had high hopes for that story, which was triggered by an article I read about a new book based on correspondance between ladies who’d taken the new RHS horticulture course in the 1890s but suffered discrimination afterwards: the top student should have won a training position at a prestigious London garden, but they didn’t take women… What, I wondered, did she do next? Being a determined sort, she obviously battled until she got herself another position.
When I’d originally submitted it, Alan said the story sounded right up their street – as I had hoped – so the longer time went on, the more disappointed I slowly became.
However, in his acceptance email, Alan mentioned the word count being unpopular, meaning, I presume, that few authors send stories of that length (3,500 words). Why would you when they print mostly stories of 2,000 and 3,000 words?
I suspect it worked to my advantage here: they must have wanted a 3,500 word story and had few to choose from. Obviously, it’s a good story, too, else they wouldn’t have bought it. But still… I think the word count worked in my favour so it’s definitely worth not writing off the less popular story lengths, especially longer ones. I suspect a lot of authors send in stories of 1200 words because it’s less work for the money. But if you have to write two, three, four of these to get one sale because it’s a popular length and there’s more competition, is it worth it, really?
Either way, it was a welcome email and hopefully brings to an end this dry spell that all authors go through from time to time. However, to continue selling, I have to continue subbing, which in turn means I must continue writing. Unfortunately I haven’t had much of an urge to do that since I returned home, possibly because I enjoyed not sitting at my computer all day long, and many of my chronic aches and pains went away. You don’t realise how bad for your back/neck/arms sitting and typing for hours on end is.
Also I have a lot of editing and managerial tasks to do. On Saturday 22nd June I will take part in Murder in the Rhubarb Triangle at Wakefield library. This is a day of author panels, book sales and expert talks (can’t wait to meet Steve Keogh, an ex-met officer who writes excellent books about what the police actually do). I’m taking part in the cosy crime panel at 10 am, which means an early start for me. I’m quietly terrified as it will be my first ever panel, but the early start will at least mean that I’m not worrying about it all day.
However, I also need to organise books for sale, and merchandise, too. Which, I guess, means less time writing! It promises to be a great day though, so if you’re anywhere near Wakefield, why not come along? It’s great to put faces to names and I’d love to see you. Attendance is free but you are advised to book as it could get busy. Scan the QR code for details.
Meanwhile my latest book set in Yorkshire has just come back from the editor, so it’s back to the grindstone!
Sue Cook's Writing Blog 