Writing has always been my passion, and fortunately, I never run short of ideas. As a result, my more than eighty novels cover a wide array of genres, including romance, fantasy, romantic comedy, romantic intrigue and mystery. Although I've written for numerous publishers, most of my work finds a home with Harlequin Books. I'm also an active member of Romance Writers of America and formerly served on the national board. I frequently update my website, www.jacquelinediamond.com, which includes news of my latest books and public appearances, along with tips for aspiring writers.
Shalla: So, please tell us about writing for Harlequin. The good, the bad, the deadlines… We’d like to know what made you go the Harlequin route?
Jackie: When I started writing for Harlequin 25 years ago, I had published several hardcover Regency romances and wanted to try contemporaries. My first Harlequin sold to Vivian Stephens, founder of the Harlequin American line. But she left, and for several years I got rejected, so I sold subsequent romances to Berkley’s Second Chance at Love line (no longer in existence). Eventually, I started selling to Harlequin again. Since then I’ve also written for Intrigue and the now-defunct Harlequin Duets line.
The good and the bad? The good is that I’ve sold Harlequin nearly seventy books, so I’ve had fairly steady contracts, although you can never take sales for granted. The bad – well, although category books (such as the American line) have launched a few superstars, you really don’t get rich writing them. And when you venture out into the mainstream world, you’re basically starting from scratch.
As for the deadlines, I choose those myself, so I can’t complain.
Shalla: It looks like you’re writing using your real name. Did you ever consider using a pseudonym? I may have read somewhere that it’s better to use a pseudonym when writing for Harlequin because Harlequin will end up owning, ‘you’ the author’s name and if it decides to have different authors writing under your name then you will not have any rights to it. Is there any truth in that?
Jackie: First, my full name is Jackie Diamond Hyman, so Jacqueline Diamond is sort of a pseudonym. However, I’d already used it on Regency romances before I wrote for Harlequin, so I always retained control of it.
Second, that policy about requiring a pseudonym and having other authors write under it is completely out of date. Harlequin dispensed with it many years ago. Plus, if you use your real name, no publisher can “own” it.
Shalla: Before signing a contract for the first time, is it be best going to a lawyer for help? If so, what type of lawyer? And where do we find the right one?
Jackie: Several organizations including Romance Writers of America and the Authors Guild offer model contracts that show desirable clauses. I believe these are available to the general public on their Web sites. You may not be able to match the terms but at least you can get a sense of what’s usual and fair.
In my opinion, agents are much better than lawyers for reviewing contracts, because they handle them all the time. If you’re going to use a lawyer, you want one who specializes in publishing. The only one I’ve heard about is Elaine English, who’s also an agent; she has a Web site and I believe offers legal services separately.
If you use an attorney unfamiliar with standard publishing terms, he or she will probably be horrified and will kill the deal for you. Sad but true.
Shalla: Stephen King, in his book on writing, suggests that first-time writers should reserve getting a literary agent when they’re further down in their career and can have money to split with the agent. Would you suggest the same?
Jackie: When Stephen King first published, most publishers were willing to read unsolicited manuscripts. This is no longer true. This is due, I think, both to shrinking editorial staffs and the flood of manuscripts due in part to the fact that authors no longer have to be committed enough to type and retype their manuscripts.
While Harlequin’s category lines will consider unagented material, Harlequin’s mainstream imprints such as Mira and HQN will not. In the case of other publishers, most of those that don’t require agents pay significantly lower advances. So I would suggest at least trying to find an agent first. Do be careful, though; don’t pay an agent to read or market your manuscript. A successful agent earns money by selling your work, not by charging you. There’s a Web site called Preditors and Editors (http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/) that publishes warnings. I’m sorry to say they’re currently being sued for providing this service.
If you can’t get an agent and truly believe your manuscript is ready to submit to a major publisher, try to make contacts at writers’ conferences, such as Romance Writers of America’s annual convention (see www.rwanational.org). If an editor hears your pitch and agrees to read your material, it’s no longer unsolicited. Another route is to enter writing contests in which the finals are judged by editors.
Shalla: Should a first-time writer for Harlequin not expect too much as far as financial compensation is concerned? And does it get better over time?
Jackie: I have to make the distinction between Harlequin’s mainstream lines such as Mira, which do sometimes offer large advances, and category lines. But even the category lines vary significantly in distribution, with some paying more than others. Advances have, sadly, shrunk over the years due to overall declining book sales, and beginning writers often receive only a few thousand dollars up front. With Harlequin, there will usually be a few thousand more to come later.
The revenue does get somewhat better over time. But don’t expect to get rich if you stay in this field.
Shalla: Are you responsible for promoting your book? How much work do you have to do to promote your book? And how are you promoting your book?
Jackie:Harlequin promotes its books as a group, both on its Web site (eharlequin.com) and in various other ways. Of course, I do some promotion, but I don’t have a lot of time or money. I consider my Web site, www.jacquelinediamond.com, absolutely essential. I post first chapters of my books, so readers can see if they’re interested. And it allows readers to get to know me, and to have a sense of what I’ve done and what’s coming up. I currently maintain this myself, with tech support from my wonderful brother.
I blog once a month at HARauthors.blogspot.com, send out a few review copies, do interviews (like this one!) and look for other opportunities as time permits. Plus I’m active in RWA, especially the Orange County (Calif.) chapter.
Shalla: So how long is your book staying on inventory? And I’ve seen some Harlequin books get published again and again (e.g. Nora Robert’s books)--why is it that the same book can get published again and again?
Jackie: Harlequin does occasionally reissue some of my books. There’s no time limit there. If the author becomes famous, the publisher will try to maximize profits. For midlist authors like me, it’s often a question of subject matter. For instance, I write a lot of books about doctors and medical settings, and these are popular, so I’ve had some reissued in anthologies with other medical-themed romances.
The initial printing is only on the bookshelves for a few weeks, or a couple of months at a few supportive bookstores. However, books remain available on the web (such as at Amazon.com) longer, and now that they’re being offered as e-books such as for Kindle, their “shelf” life may be even longer. I certainly hope so.
It’s great when readers buy my books new (I don’t make any money from used books, sigh). They’re terrific birthday and holiday gifts, if you’ll pardon the plug.
By the way, I have a new mini-series within the Harlequin American line starting in February. The mini-series is called Safe Harbor Medical, and the February release is The Would-Be Mommy. You can read the first chapter for free at http://www.jacquelinediamond.com/Chapter1_TheWould-BeMommy.html.
Shalla DeGuzman's
short stories have appeared in Poetic Diversity, the Mad Hatters Review,
etc.; her articles in The Scriptorium and L.A.
Freepress; her skits at the Stella Adler Theatre.
Her flash fiction The Fish In My Bed recently won the FISH AND
PLANE Competition and is featured in Issue 6 of Mad Hatters
Review.
Shalla, a former writer and producer of a health and fitness cable
show, is currently writing a novel. She is President of The
ShallaDeGuzman Writers
Group where she interviews literary agents, publishers, editors,
etc.
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