Dear Bernard,

1) What is your outline process for planning a novel? What outline or method have you used?

2) Would exotic settings, such as the Cholas(An South Indian Maritime Empire that ruled most of South-East Asia) would be popular in the UK publishing market – whether traditionally published or self published – or it doesn’t matter what the setting is – the story comes first? Are oriental or periods of forgotten Indian history – such as the massive Hindu Empires, Marathas, Cholas, Gupta and Mauryans, Kushans, that ruled most of India before the invasions happened of the 6th century and the British invasion,  would publishers reject these time periods?

3) Do you find Self publishing to help the HF genre? Do you feel the traditional publishing industry has become too rotten to adapt to new methods of technology? I’m on a private writer’s site where most of them advocate self publishing. Has traditional publishing received a bad rep for this?

Thanks,

Neil.