Last week we heard all about Tommy Donbavand’s metal balls and how they helped him get four non-fiction books published in the competitive how-to market. This week he tells us how he sold his first novel, turned it into a series, persuaded his publisher to double the length of his contract and picked up a few sundry books deals along the way. I am in awe.
I began to teach writing to adults in the evenings and set up a web forum to enable people in the classes to stay in touch. Before long, an established writer posted on the board said that Egmont Press was looking for writers-for-hire for a new children’s horror series, but that only writers with published fiction to their name need apply. It was steel balls time again….
thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you. Jane, for that.I am now totally exhausted just from reading that–not to mention boggling at the mental picture of his ‘whipping out his steel balls.’ I wish my boys were twenty years younger. They would have adored Tommy’s books.
Sally, my two not-so-old boys have both been exposed to Mr Donbavand’s fiction (thanks, Tommy!) and have found much to admire. Son the younger ended up speechless, he was laughing so much. And that usually only happens when someone makes a rude noise, so Tommy did good.
Thanks so much for posting my story, Jane – and thanks to everyone who’s taken time to comment on the posts.Of course, in simplifying the story into an article, I missed out the months of fruitless submissions, the filing cabinet drawers filled with rejection letters (including some from my current publisher), and the days of sheer frustration when I wasn’t getting anywhere.As a result, it may sound like the journey was easier than you might expect – but it did have its failures as well as successes. However, I knew that the only way to get there was to sit down, write, submit, be rejected – then improve my work and do it all over again. Determination and perseverance were the answers.If I can do it, so can anyone else. You just need to want it so badly that you’ll never give up – and a shiny pair of metallic orbs! ;o)
Very much in admiration, Tommy. Hope your series continue to go well!
Having known Tommy for well over a decade I was already up to speed on his career-to-date, but this article still makes for great reading. Would-be authors can learn a lot from Tommy and the regular nuggets of wisdom he posts on his websites. He was certainly an enormous help in getting my own career off the ground.
Sit down, write, submit, be rejected and do it as many times as necessary.Thank you, Mr. Donbavand for the only words that a writer can truly use as inspiration.And I do like shiny things!
Thanks to Barry for his comments. Be sure to check out his terrifying new book, Mr Mumbles – the first title in the Invisible Fiends series.Marisa – it’s the only path a writer can follow that is guaranteed to work. Spherical items optional!
Naughty Jacob leaving messy comment-spam in my nice tidy blog. BAD Jacob. Don’t do it again.