Ali Thurm

Well, this week has been fun… one straight out rejection, but one who asked to see the whole novel. For a few days I was in a state of bliss (she’s going to say yes, that’s it… publication, huge advance, broadsheet reviews, shortlisted for big prizes…) which alternated with the purgatory of each new email ( open it, no don’t, open it, no… aargh!) I was finally put out of my misery by the email that said ‘No.’ Usefully there were few comments which have now made me think I’ll 1. Ask for some lucky volunteers to read the whole novel to see how it hangs together and 2. go back again and read it myself.

I also came away from an ‘Arvon at Home’ workshop with the wonderful agent, Jo Unwin last Friday with the advice that you should only submit your novel (to an agent) when ‘you’ve done enough and it’s really finished and polished’. So, for the next month, unless I strike gold with the remaining four submissions, I’m going to get out the Mr Sheen and get polishing!