Authors' Thread (New! Improved! Now With 10% More Questions!)

A query for those who have published a book or two:

Do you ever find yourself waking up in the middle of the night and jotting down thoughts or phrases for the book(s)?

 

Not so much in the middle of the night, but while doing other things as the mind wanders back onto the project, something will pop out, usually a phrase or sentence that is very precise and announces to you that not only must you use it, but it is a sign post to follow.

 

Since this thread has been sitting a while, I thought I'd add on. I sold a narrative book today, for okay money, and really, for this first time, didn't have to do a proposal - three paragraphs, one page, after the thunderbolt. Took five minutes, e-mail to agent, twiddle thumbs for six weeks, offer, dicker, offer, accept.

But it has taken over twenty years to do that. This stuff isn't easy and takes time.

 

Congrats In Exile. That's awesome.

 

Excellent work. How does it feel?

 

Today it feels like work - and that's a good thing. There can be such highs and lows doing books, you always have to focus on the days between the sale and the reviews, because that is all you control.

 

A hearty congratulations IE.

 

That's a little more than halfway, by the counts on my stuff.
It's also exactly where I am right now in mine.
Congrats, exile.
And 'beat? That happens to me all the damn time. It's why there's always a pen and notebook on the bedside stand.

 

Wow, so I have something in common with you. That has to be a damn good sign!

 

Keith Richards rells a story about how he thought up the riff to "Satisfaction" while he was asleep, woke up, put it on a tape recorder next to his bed, and then fell back asleep with the tape running. Thjere the two-minute classic riff and an hour of Keith's snoring.

 

What is the protocol as far pitching a book on a team/manager's season? As the beat writer can I just go ahead and pitch it around and go ahead without their approval? How do you deal with sources on something like that?

If that is too nebulous, PM me and I'll give you more details that might help.

 

You don't need approval from the coach to write a book about him, but if you're the beat guy, he could make things hard for you if he doesn't want the book written. And you can't keep it a secret, you'll seem sneaky. It might sound less ominous to him if you describe the book as being about the season rather than the coach individually (but only if it's relatively true).

The key question (for yourself, your paper, and the people you cover) in these situations: 'Is this for the book or for the paper?' Is the coach going to try to limit your access? Will it affect your daily coverage?

Let your boss know before you start, some papers have policies about writing books on the team you cover as a beat writer.

Good luck!