JesusLasVegas

Hallo Charles. I'm in the UK. I just wrote a book and (it looks like) a good publishing house are going to pick it up. It is sort of sci-fi.

My question: all agents I've spoken to think that while selling a book to publishers it's best to avoid using the term "sci-fi" if possible. Ideally they want to sneak sci-fi stuff in, "under the radar", so it can get the sort of backing that only a big publisher can provide.

How do you feel about this? Cheers.

Great answer, thanks.

Could you give an example or two of large British publishers that you think are doing a good job in this respect? Ignoring genre barriers, taking risks etc?

Did you end up with an American agent because all the British agents passed on you? Or did you actually want to do things that way?

Cool.

One last question (if you can be arsed). When you look at the publishing process (particularly the point at which agents have to sell books) what do you think needs to be fixed/tinkered with? Are editors too short-sighted? In your experience is their predilection for putting things in boxes limiting?

Basically if you could sit all the big editors down and briefly lecture them on doing their job what would you say? Thanks Charles.

Hi there,

Quick question: how does it make you feel when you hear Michelle Malkin defending internment?

Thanks very much.