Over the last two months I’ve been quieter than usual, occasionally popping up to say that I’m busy. I’ve talked about clearing things out, purging and preparations but not the reason why.
Well, I have some News. Yes, it’s so important I capitalised it.
In the summer, I secured funding from a private investor to write and publish my next series of novels. The investor (who wishes to remain anonymous) has given me the freedom to write and produce these books over the next two years, and some other really cool other stuff too.
I am now a full-time fiction writer.
No more commercial copywriting to pay the bills, no more fretting about how to juggle the fiction writing with all the stuff I had to do to support my family. Writing books is now right where it should be: the centre of my life and receiving all of my creative energy and effort.
I start writing the first book tomorrow. But, being the cruel beast that I am, I’m not going to tell you anything about that book, the series or what is going to be happening over the next two years – yet. Why? Because there is going to be a big launch on October 31st. Only the people on my VIP list will find out before then, and people going to BristolCon 2011 will get a very special sneaky preview in their goody bags.
But rest assured that over the last two months I have been working crazy long hours to clear my other commitments and plan this project. I’ve also been writing fiction that I haven’t been able to share yet, so apologies to short story club members for the lack of stories. That will change very soon….
Self-publishing when you have a traditional publisher already?
That might seem a bit odd, considering I worked so hard, for so many years, to get a publishing contract for 20 Years Later. Well, suffice it to say for now that this next series is going to be very, very different to the 20 Years Later trilogy, and therefore completely outside of Dystopia Press’s remit to publish dystopian and post-apocalyptic books.
And you know, I just want to do this by myself.
Having secured this funding, I can employ the professionals I need to ensure the books are the very best they can be, so I feel like this will be the best of both worlds; I’ll be able to afford professional editors, typesetters, cover designers, printers etc whilst retaining creative control over every single aspect and I won’t have to spend another five years trying to find a home for the books.
And yes, I’m a control freak 
So, there you go; the end of an era and the beginning of the rest of my life. This is a hugely ambitious (one might argue crazy) project, and I can’t wait to share it with you. I would not be writing this post, knowing that I can devote my life to this new project for the next two years without your support, encouragement and downright loveliness.
So I wanted to say thank you. I absolutely would not be here without you guys. You are utterly splendid.
Hurray for you!
Thank you x You’ll get to see the sneaky preview of course….
FABULOUS news, love!!! Well done you and you deserve every bit of it! Wish I could fly to the UK and give you a big momma hug!
Oh I wish you could too! Thank you x
Go Em!
Really pleased for you!
Tony ( @fringescientist )
Fantastic news, Emma! So THAT’S the reason for the website overhaul, you tricksy devil, you!
Heh, it just felt wrong to announce with the old look. Now you know why I out-grew the last skin…
Congratulations and good luck! This is fantastic news!
Thank you x
That sounds incredibly exciting – does your private investor want to sponsor my dreamed of cake tasting travels? Joke aside, I wish you all possible success for your new life! Isn’t it wonderful when dreams become true?
It is deeply wonderful. I’ve had a few bouts of the Fear too, but hell, I got those when I wasn’t living the dream, so meh to that!
Cake tasting travels eh? Mmmmmmm….
You know, Emma, projects that are called crazy are often the most fun, the most challenging, and the most rewarding of them all.
I wish you every success with this one. And I shall go buy tea futures …
I couldn’t agree more. I reckon my tea consumption will go up, so that sounds like a good investment
Stunningly good news! Well done.
Thank you my lovely x
That’s great news. Congratulations!
Thanks Keith!
Oh Em. This is so exciting! I’m delighted for you, know this is what you’ve been working towards for ages.
A full-time fiction writer. I love it when a plan comes together!
And I love the new site design, too.
Huge congratulations on all of it!
You know better than most – you were sitting next to me in Pam Slim’s workshop when I wrote my 5 year plan and wanted life in the same house but being a full time fiction writer and having lots of eccentric clothes…. Now I have one part and am making the other
That was a great day, wasn’t it?
Ooh, exciting!
When you say “investor” – I assume that the way this works is that you’re paid an advance and then the investor is owed some percentage of your profits? This seems like a very unusual kind of deal for the world of book publishing. The investor isn’t getting involved in marketing or anything like that? I admit to being very puzzled, but in a good way.
As far as I know (and I freely admit that I am not an expert) it is very, very unusual, if not unique. The investor isn’t getting involved in any part of it aside from financially, and yes, they will get a share of the profits. I do plan to explain it more in the future. I am incredibly lucky. x
This is such wonderful news to come home to! Congratulations Em, on so many levels x
yay – well done splendid news – now you can fly, fly:)
Awesome Em! Way to go
Wow! That is great, Emma! Congratulations!
Good luck with this new project! It really sounds like the kind of challenge you have been looking for. And that is why I am sure that you will succeed. It sounds so very, very promising.
Have a good time, enjoy!
Holy shit! That’s not a ‘private investor’ that’s a modern-style patron.
I really don’t know how you do it. You should probably be selling London Bridge to Americans or something (probably Chinese these days, since Americans are all broke). How many writers would give their eye teeth for a patron?
You are a constant astonishment.
Hehe, thank you! At one point, early in the process I feared I would have to give my eye teeth, but it all worked out in the end. x
Congratulations! So glad to hear there will be more fiction on the way.
Well done, Emma. Having read and listened to you reading your work, I am hugely excited about your new project. Can’t blooming wait! Well done
Thank you everyone, I am so excited that you are excited too! Gosh, that’s a lot of excitement…
Late to the party (as ever!) but my word that is exciting Emma! In days gone by writers used to long for a patron and here you are, a very 21st Century author with a very 21st Century writing deal!
You are, as ever, an inspiration and richly deserve the successes coming your way. Well done!
This is fantastic news!!! I’m so excited for you! And when you publish your first indie book I’d love to invite you to be a member of the Indie Elite, because I already know your writing is amazing and up to the Indie Elite par!
http://theindieelite.blogspot.com