The novelist explains how, despite 20 years’ experience, stepping into the world she has loved since childhood presented an unnerving but exhilarating challenge
I am, by now, relatively used to writing books – I’ve been doing it for more than 20 years. I always hope I can still be surprised by the process and do try to arrange that for myself, but I probably didn’t expect quite the level of surprisingness I encountered when I wrote a Doctor Who book. It may not have made me care more, but it made me care differently and, good Lord, it was fun. The process involved the only utterly entertaining and relaxed publishing party I’ve ever attended, readings involving a very gentle breed of fan, very keen, very young people and a variety of character models and mechanisms appearing with enthusiastic owners.
The editorial process was smooth, understanding and enthusiastic. The books were where the Doctor went when the TV show was axed, they kept the faith, in part because those involved thought the Doctor should be there for children. The only downside I’ve experienced has involved the realisation that, if writing a ’Who book means you’re cool and all your free copies get blagged in a week, you must previously have been uncool and had books no one was that bothered about. And very young people now attend readings for my adult work and I have to change some words into other words and worry – although that actually seems, if anything, to help things along. We’ve had fun. Being self-employed and being a writer are not always so much fun.
via Science fiction | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1PyH3L3
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