Oh, the agony!

Agony aunt Mrs Hudson solves your dilemmas

A novel idea

QDuring lockdown, I found myself with time on my hands and began to write each day. It started off as musings on my own life, family and friends—and gradually became a novel. I approached a literary agent who was incredibly keen and has secured me a publishing deal. I am thrilled, but have two concerns. First is how my family and friends would take the revelations contained within; second is what on earth I would write about for the second book the contract demands. Can you offer any reassurance?

R. A., Hertfordshire

AWell done you—i think most of us believe we have a novel in us, but it’s not necessarily one the rest of the world deserves to be subjected to. Undoubtedly, some of your circle will be delighted to be memorialised in this way. Your reservations indicate that some will not, yet you made your decision the moment you put pen to paper, if not when you sent the manuscript to an agent. You are going to publish this and you will have to deal with any fallout.

Regarding the second part of this problem, two-book deals are notoriously tricky. Should the first book succeed, you will probably be receiving under the odds for the second. Should it fail, your confidence will be knocked. Luckily, material shouldn’t be a problem—if your current friends ditch you, you can simply milk the lives of your new ones. In need of advice? Email your problem to mrs.hudson@futurenet.com