I suspect author Gary Collinson and I could have discussed The Dark Knight Rises all day (see Part Two), but eventually I steer my questions towards Gary’s book, Holy Franchise, Batman! How did it come about?
“I’ve always been a big fan of Batman and thought that the character’s rich screen history would make for an interesting article, so in 2010 I put something together for Flickering Myth. As I was writing, the article started to get longer and longer, and despite ending up around 8000 words, there was so much more I could have written that I thought a book would be the only way to do it justice. I’d never thought about writing a non-fiction book before and wasn’t convinced I’d be able to do it, never mind find a publisher interested in releasing it, so I sat on the idea for about a year until I decided to give it a go.”
Not surprisingly, with such a rich subject matter, the hardest thing about writing the book for Gary was writing “about a thousand words per day plus revisions, which was tough to manage alongside full-time employment and editorial duties on Flickering Myth, and took a lot of late nights to achieve!” Fortunately though, “the final product turned out much the way I planned, albeit considerably longer.”
I confess my almost total ignorance of the details of the publishing process, and ask Gary to summarise his journey from idea to printed book.
“The first step in writing a non-fiction book is to put together an outline, which serves as a sales pitch to potential publishers and includes a general overview of the book, its target audience etc., along with a detailed breakdown of each chapter. After sending this to publishers, if you’re fortunate enough to get an offer the next step is to discuss the contract, which covers everything from advance payments, royalties and rights through to final word count and deadline for submission. Once the contract has been agreed and signed it’s then down to the author to produce the manuscript, which is then sent off to the publisher for approval.”
I was intrigued to know if dealing with a publisher was an ordeal as well as an enormous opportunity. Were there any problems with the manuscript? It seems the editing process wasn’t too distressing in Gary’s case. “The publisher may then request rewrites or alterations to the manuscript (which fortunately wasn’t the case with Holy Franchise, Batman!) and then the editing process begins, during which the book is edited and proofread before being sent back to the author to approve any changes. Once the manuscript is finalised, a typesetter then lays out the manuscript ready for printing, with the author then making a final check before it goes off to the printers. During this time, the sales department also gets involved and begins to approach prospective buyers, as well as exploring various ways to promote the book, and then finally a finished copy arrives through the letterbox!”
That is the moment many students will dream of, seeing their own book in the flesh. How did it feel for Gary, who had written stories in his youth and long had an interest in writing before tackling Batman in non-fiction form? “Seeing your name in print on your own book is certainly a strange feeling. It’s quite hard to put into words, but it did give me an enormous sense of achievement and made all those long nights seem worthwhile.”
Gary’s modesty, despite his impressive achievement and incredible subject knowledge, is clear. It shines through too in his practical advice to Exeter students with writing aspirations. “Fiction or non-fiction, I’d advise spending considerable time on the planning stage, particularly if a large amount of research is required, and don’t underestimate the amount of time you’ll need to devote to the editing process once the actual manuscript is written. Apart from that, my only advice would be to write as often as possible in order to develop your skills, and if you do come up with an idea for a book, just go for it.”
Does he plan to continue writing? Is there another book in the pipeline? “I’m working on a few different projects at the moment, including an outline for another non-fiction book and a graphic novel, as well as a couple of TV show ideas. One is a documentary with a humorous slant, and the other a kind of fantasy comedy-drama that I’d like to write as a miniseries. There’s also a couple of feature film scripts that I’ve been writing on and off for a couple of years – I should probably go back and complete the first drafts at some point!”
Holy Franchise, Batman! by Gary Collinson is available now via Amazon.
Liam Trim, Screen Editor
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