My dad: Remember when I told you to quit writing because none of ur books were selling? I’m glad u didn’t listen.

I’m glad too because HI HELLO HIII I HAVE A MOVIE DEAL WITH NETFLIX, BOOM!

I dunno what that “boom” was sorry I’m too excited https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nahnatchka-khan-netflix-team-romantic-comedy-dial-a-aunties-1298097

None of this would have been possible without my wizard, @katedetweiler, wnd my incredible, magical film agents, Mary Pender and Olivia Fanaro. Katelyn was on every phone call with me, virtually holding my shaking hands and was the voice of calm throughout the wild ride.

I’m going to talk a bit abt not giving up, becuz WHY NOT. Bear with me. It’ll be a long thread and it probably won’t go anywhere.

My first book got multiple agent offers & went on sub In 2 diff countries (US & UK). Came close a few times but in the end, it tanked.

Over 60 editors read and decided naaah. I left my agent. My second book didn’t get any offers of rep. My third book got me an agent relationship so toxic that I stopped writing for a year.

I’ve been on sub way too many times to count. Once, an editor told my agent the entire team read and loved and we will be receiving an offer in a week. The next week, she said they have a new dept head who didn’t like the book, so they can’t offer anymore. Submissions are fun.

Dial A was my ninth book, and it was one of those rare, magical moments where everything kind of fell into place. The moment I wrote “The End”, I sat back and thought: Huh. I think...I have something good here.

Like I said, I’ve been on sub many times with diff agents. NOTHING like this has ever happened. It was a combination of so many things: the right story idea hitting me at the right time, being subbed at the right time to the right people, and being with the right agent.

I want to say, also, how much of Dial A’s success depended on Katelyn. Why do I keep saying she’s a wizard: because during a fierce auction, she kept it all together and was the perfect combination of charming and firm.

She hooked me up with Mary and Olivia, my incredible film agents, and the film rights went on another fierce auction, this time with Mary and Olivia steering the ship. When the film rights went on auction I was a MESS. Sleep? What’s that?

It truly felt like a single mistake would unravel everything. Which is why, again, get yourself a good agent. Katelyn is...yeah. She is the best. She is my forever agent, and to be able to say that after three previous agents is an incredible feeling.

Anyway, my point is, I had that feeling of “Huh, I think I have something good” with some of my previous books before, but the huge success did not happen until my ninth book. NINTH!! Because so much in publishing depends on factors outside your control.

Timing matters. I know it sucks to hear, but publishers cited timing as a reason they didn’t buy book 1 (it was a YA dystopia that was subbed right as YA dystopia died). The story idea matters. Book 6 didn’t sell because pubs kept saying altho it was good, it was too quiet

And you’ll have duds. Book 8 has not been read by anyone, including myself, becuz that was a clear dud. But keep going, keep writing, and one day, the right idea will hit you, and you’ll be ready for it, and you will write the right book at the right time.