Saturday 31 December 2011

Year End at Crabbit Towers

I wasn't going to blog today, or even tomorrow, but I had a bit of happifying news to end the year with today, and it relates to you. I had my first royalty statement for Write to be Published and I was very pleasantly surprised at the figures. So, I'd like to thank you all for your support! It doesn't matter whether you bought the book: so many of you recommended it or chatted about it on Twitter, or mentioned it to a friend - all these things have helped and I'm enormously grateful. The book has continued to have fab reviews on Amazon - and thanks to anyone who has gone to the trouble of doing that.

It seems (to me!) like much longer than six months since it was published and I'm proud of how well it's done in a short time. My thanks to Emma Barnes, MD of Snowbooks, and to Corinne Gotch, the ace publicist for the book and a good friend, and to Becky Hearne, my fab assistant and also a good friend. I think we make a great team!

I have recently been taking stock of my career, looking at what's working and what's not, and decided to cut back on certain activities and develop others. I have several different writing projects at different stages, some of which might work and others might not. I will let you know about the ones that do! I've said no to a number of things and will continue to do so, particularly being selective about events. My consultancy, Pen2Publication, has been ticking along very comfortably, and I have managed to restrict the number of clients I take, so that it hasn't overwhelmed my diary. (If you want to book a slot or just discuss the possibilities, see the Pen2Publication website to see what I offer and drop me a line as soon as possible: I am always booked up far ahead.)


Crabbit Publishing has been the most exciting** part of 2011, workwise, and I'm very pleased with how Tweet Right and Mondays are Red have done, and am looking forward eagerly to publishing Write a Great Synopsis in three weeks. Hooray! But self-publishing is not all I want to do and I'm hoping to work productively with publishers, too, if they'll have me.

[** Edited to add: hang on a sec. Because this didn't set out to be a round-up of my year, I quite forgot that not only did 2011 also see publication of Write to be Published, but it saw Wasted on ten shortlists, winning one, being runner-up on another, and with three ceremonies still to go! How could I forget?!]

I wish you all the best possible success and luck in 2012. Keep working, keep learning, keep listening and sharing. And thank you all hugely for your friendship, wisdom and fun this year.

Go, us!

23 comments:

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Deserve to do well, you do. Happy New Year! x

Helen said...

All the very best for 2012 Nicola! I bought Tweet Right and Write to be Published and both were very useful. I also came to see you speak at 3 events and each one was very valuable and entertaining too. For an aspiring writer like me, all your hard work really helps- thanks!

Joanna Cannon said...

Huge congratulations, Nicola and thank you so much for all your advice and hard work over the past twelve months. You are very much loved and appreciated by all!

Keren David said...

Congratulations on a great year!

Debi said...

What the others said xx

the writing pad said...

Hi
My partner bought me Write to be Published for Christmas and I am finding it great - easy to read, humorous and full of good advice! Thanks for writing it :-)
Happy New Year !

Pennie Roberts said...

Sounds as if 2011 was a great year for you. I am sure 2012 will be just as successful. Thanks for all the tweets and blog posts. Always valued advice. Happy New Year!

Patsy said...

Best wishes for 2012!

(I didn't buy that book as I won it in your competition, but I have told lots of people how great it is and I bought Tweet Right which is also very helpful)

Dan Holloway said...

The very very best for a fabulous 2012

Jacqueline Pye said...

They say delayed rewards are the best - glad yours are arriving. I have WTBP and Tweet Right, and recommended Mondays are Red to 13yo granddaughter who downloaded it onto her brand new Kindle. Great works. Happy & successful 2012 to you and yours.

catdownunder said...

Purr-fect! Well done you! Thankyou for putting up with my disorganised and sometimes controversial cat hairs on your pages this year.
Hope you have a wonderful writing 2012 and a happy one too.
Spike says hello :-)

Carolb said...

Congratulations on all of 2011's achievements, Nicola.
Your posts are always useful and valuable, and I look forward to 2012's.
Have a great New Year and a successful 2012.

Anonymous said...

Well done Nicola and congrats on all your wonderful achievements this year. There's also one of your writing achievements that you forgot to mention and which is a wonderful benefit to your fellow writers - this blog. Thanks for all the time and energy you put into it and your generosity in sharing your knowledge and experiences. All the best for the New Year!

Ebony McKenna. said...

Way to go Nicola,
I bought two copies of Write To Be Published and gave one to my writers' group because it's choc-full of essential information.

It's been an exceptionally tough year in the book trade, that's for sure. Here's to a fab 2012.

stephen said...

I wish you'd change your name hook, Nicola. "Crabbit old bat" doesn't do you any justice for your brilliant advice, support, and encouragement.

Anonymous said...

My friend got me a copy of Write to be Published for my Christmas, and I love it! Thanks for some amazing advice over the year :D

Kath McGurl said...

Happy New Year! Hope 2012 is as good for you as 2011 was.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Right To Be Published is so good my mother pinched my copy and I had to buy a second copy.

Happy New Year to you.

David John Griffin said...

Happy New Year to you, Nicola and all your followers!

Here's hoping 2012 will be even more successful for you. Looking forward to reading Write a Great Synopsis. (And I've only just got around to continuing to read Write to be Published... I misplaced it months ago...whoops...but found it the other day...)

:-)

David John Griffin said...

...."and all your other followers" I meant... ah, you know that!

Sally Zigmond said...

Happy New Year, Great Crabbit One. I can't wait to download Write a Great Synopsis book. I need it this very minute!

Thank you, too, for your friendship and support in 2011. It means a great deal to me.

Nicola Morgan said...

Thank you all for your lovely comments, every one. I'd love to reply to each individually but I am still without my desk/study because my older daughter is still staying, and the sofa is a very bad place from which to blog! But i'm truly grateful to all your comments and support for WTBP. I really do wish you all a great writing year. xx

Anonymous said...

I also won a copy of Write to Be Published and have recommended it to lots of people. Not just because I won a copy but because its a great book! Thanks for all the wisdom in your blog over the past year.