Many thanks to Sally Quilford for this
wonderful interview with Maggie Swinburne. So many of our members have found
success with these Pocket Novels that it is only fitting we start our new
series with a firm favourite.
Maggie
Swinburne is the editor of My Weekly Pocket Novels. She has worked for DC
Thomson for over 30 years, and is always willing to give no nonsense advice to
anyone who wishes to try their hand at writing a pocket novel. I have learned
so much about writing and pacing romantic novels
from Maggie that I thought it
would be great to kick off this new series by sharing her invaluable insights
into writing for the romance market.
Hello Maggie, please
could you share a quick bio, including your relevant history in romance novel
publishing?
My career started in 1979 in My Weekly when we all
had to read fiction manuscripts and write a crit of them. Early on I was
applying the “tear to my eye” test, which I still use today for deciding
whether I like something or not! I took over the Pocket Novels in 2010 and
quickly got totally involved with the writers and the novels. I love the
thrills and drama of the story lines. I rewrote the guidelines and brought us
up to date with current trends in relationships, and introduced some crime
titles to the schedule.
How many titles
does your company publish each year and where are your books sold?
We publish two My Weekly Pocket Novels each month,
and the novels are sold in supermarkets and newsagents. And can be ordered by
subscription.
What do you look
for in a romantic novel?
Thrills, drama, and exciting story lines; feisty
yet charming heroines; gorgeous heroes. I like my men to have something angsty
to torture themselves with. It is particularly important to have OMG
cliffhanging moments at the end of each chapter so the reader is so enthralled
they can’t stop reading.
How might writers
improve their chances of being published by you?
By making sure their work as well as being readable
is grammatically correct, and if they have used software which converts their
speech into words that the resultant spellings are “right” not “write”. I feel
totally insulted when I am expected to read something that would shame a
secondary school pupil, and this is the same of emails I am sent. You have no
idea how illiterate some people can be.
In this office we also produce the weekly magazine,
the specials, the Annual and another magazine, The Scots Magazine, therefore
the time available to the subbing team is limited.
What reason might
you reject a novel/author?
If the story is too short – the novel has to be
50,000 minimum. Also sometimes, towards the end, stories sometimes go off the
rails – it is important to keep the suspense and thrills going right up to the
end! What I particularly like is a small interlude before the end when our hero
or heroine thinks that they have lost the relationship. I love them to contemplate
the desert their lives will be without the other person. This makes the ending
all the more thrilling! Also I don’t like swearing, or violence in real time.
What do you hate
getting from potential writers?
A lengthy email explaining why my criticism was
wrong, and if I would only read to the last chapter, I would see how the story
worked out. In actual fact, what I want is a story which grips and enthrals the
reader, not a marathon endurance test where they have to keep reading while
waiting for the story to get interesting. Poor reader – have pity on them.
What do you love
to get from potential writers?
A nice email saying they see what I am saying, and
attaching the revised story with all the necessary changes and additions, and
if I have been extra cheeky, the revisions marked in red so I don’t have to
read the whole story again.
I wish I would acknowledge receipt of a novel as
soon as I get it, but sometimes I forget. So please do not worry about sending
me an email to ask if I have got a novel if you haven’t heard. I have a
printing schedule to fill, so I generally try to buy enough novels at a time
for three to four months ahead, so I read my novels until this has happened. So
there can then be a lull until the next blitz. It
does make acceptances rather
sporadic – either a famine or a feast. If someone has a novel for a specific
time, such as next Christmas, please do say in your covering letter, because I
really like to have nice romantic Christmas stories. With a Cinderella theme.
As my regular writers know!
Do you
read romance (in your leisure time)?
Yes, I do! In fact I love re-reading my favourite author,
who is DE Stevenson, and if anyone out there reads her novels, please do get in
touch, because I hardly ever meet someone who likes her books.
How do you see the
future for writers of romance and the romance publishing industry in general?
I think the whole industry will continue to thrive
because as we all know, it is love that makes the world go round.
Do you attend RNA
events? (So that our readers might have the chance to meet you)
Yes, I like to go to the parties and events, and
love to chat with writers. I am always fascinated by people who have a
compulsion to write!
My Weekly Pocket Novel Guidelines are available from myweekly@dcthomson.co.uk
About Sally Quilford
Sally
has been writing for DC Thomson since 2008/9. Her latest two novels, Big Girls
Don’t Cry (the third in the Bobbie Blandford series) and Eye of the Storm, will
be published in the New Year. Sally
has also presented several successful
online workshops in the writing of pocket novels. You can find tips and tricks,
on all things romance, on her
blog.
A great start to the series, Sally. We look
forward to next month’s instalment!
The RNA blog is brought to you by,
Elaine Everest & Natalie Kleinman
If you would like to write for the blog in
2016 please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com
