Nick P: I'm always interested in hearing about other writer's process. Do you write at a specific time? How much of an outline do you start with? How many different edits? Do you start with a character, a situation or a theme?

In other words, Doug, tell us how YOU do it.


Hi Nick, with The Emperor's Elephant, I just started writing a story and kept going. I was really proud of the first line I wrote 'My father was a great man, he tamed the wild beasts and made them do his bidding.' About six months later it took me another three months to dig myself out of the hole that sentence had got me into, which probably shows that I should have put together an outline first.

Stan, my agent, gave me a tip that I've found really useful. Put together short chapter outlines, of just a sentence each. That gives you a real impression of where you're going and what targets you have to hit as you're writing. I've found it invaluable.

With The Emperor's Elephant I knew where I was going, but not how to get there. I created Rufus and breathed life into him, sometimes he took me places I didn't want to go and he was more in charge than I was. Including the Emperor's Elephant, Caligula has gone through at least a dozen rewrites, probably more if you include reads that have resulted in minor tweaks here and there. I wouldn't have believed that possible when I completed the first draft, but now I think the skill and focus of being able to rewrite your work is probably even more important than putting together the original story. That's why Youwriteon is so important to people's development. It teaches you to take criticism and use it.

Katkin Doug - congratulations on your fantastic achievement. What's the most useful thing you've learned on your journey towards getting published - and knowing what you know now, is there anything you'd have done differently?

All the best, Kit


Hi Kit, the three things I've learned are:

Be patient, because the publishing industry works at a pace all of its own.

Don't expect the world to come knocking at your door, because that's not the way it works.

Enjoy every minute of it, because it will never be the first time again.



The only thing I would have done differently is given the book one last read, and then one after that and ... you get the picture; you never want to let it go, but at some point you have to

Aves Hi Doug, Aves here. I'd like to know when your novel was accepted for publication, were you asked to 'tweak' it or do a massive re-write?
Cheers Jane.

Hi Aves, I think I just answered that question, but to expand on it, I've just started the publishers' rewrite of my second book and the first thing Simon asked me to do was take out one of the major characters who featured in every chapter and instigated certain parts of the storyline. In fact she gave me my ending. He had good reason for it, and it wasn't as difficult as it sounds, but it fairly took my breath away when I first read it.

datahog:
Greetings, Doug. Was there anything about the process of publication--from obtaining an agent through marketing your book--that surprised you?



Actually, everything has been a surprise, because it's all been new. Sometime's it's been frustrating but there's always a feeling that you're learning something.

Thank you, Doug, a really informative chat and great questions. I've added a link below to Doug's blog for members.

View Doug's Countdown-to-Caligula Blog

We wish you every continued success, and, having really enjoyed Caligula, I am really looking forward to the next stories.



Ted