Jennifer Estep: On the Ever-Evolving Industry of Publishing
Internationally bestselling author Jennifer Estep discusses what she learned in publishing her newest epic fantasy novel, Tear Down the Throne.
Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. Tear Down the Throne, book #2 in her Gargoyle Queen epic fantasy series, release on May 3. Jennifer is also the author of the Crown of Shards, Section 47, Elemental Assassin, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.
In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes. For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit jenniferestep.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, BookBub, and Twitter. You can also sign up for her newsletter.
In this post, Jennifer discusses what she learned in publishing her newest epic fantasy novel, Tear Down the Throne, and more!
Name: Jennifer Estep
Literary agent: Annelise Robey, Jane Rotrosen Agency
Book title: Tear Down the Throne
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release date: May 3, 2022
Genre/category: Epic fantasy
Previous titles: Capture the Crown, Book #1 in the Gargoyle Queen epic fantasy series. Kill the Queen, Protect the Prince, and Crush the King in the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series. The Gargoyle Queen series is a spinoff series that is set in the Crown of Shards world.
Elevator pitch for the book: Most people consider Gemma Ripley nothing more than a spoiled princess, but Gemma’s pampered persona is a clever disguise. She secretly moonlights as a spy and is determined to stop a powerful enemy from conquering her kingdom.
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What prompted you to write this book?
Tear Down the Throne is book #2 in my Gargoyle Queen epic fantasy series. Gemma Ripley is back for more adventures as a spy who is determined to save her kingdom from a powerful enemy.
I always enjoy coming up with new adventures for my characters and seeing what new challenges and enemies I can throw at them—and how my heroines can use their wits and magic to defeat the bad guys.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It usually takes me about six to eight months (or longer) to write an epic fantasy book. Then, it usually takes about nine months (or longer) for the book to go through the publishing/production process—revisions, copyedits, page proofs, etc. So altogether, it took about two years from when I first started writing Tear Down the Throne to the book being released.
My idea didn’t really change during the process. Since Tear Down the Throne is the middle book in a trilogy, I had a pretty good idea of the story I wanted to tell and the things that needed to happen to the characters in this book.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
There weren’t any big surprises, but I always learn something every time I go through the publishing process. Over the years, I’ve learned so much about writing, editing, and language in general from the various editors, copyeditors, and proofreaders who have worked on my books. I’ve also learned new things about cover art, marketing, and more.
Publishing is an ever-changing, ever-evolving industry so there is always something new to learn, which I enjoy.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I’m a panster, so I don’t do a lot of pre-plotting. I usually think about my heroine and the big turning points of the plot, and then I sit down and start writing. So for me, the first draft is usually a discovery draft where I really hone in on my initial idea and figure out who my heroine is, what she wants, and how she can defeat the villains.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope my book takes readers on a fun, fast-paced, rollicking fantasy adventure that helps them escape from their troubles and worries, at least for a few hours. I like to write books with a little bit of everything in them—action, adventure, danger, magic, and romance—and I hope readers think that my books are time well-spent.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Writing is often a very hard, very lonely business that is full of rejection. So have as much fun with your writing as possible—write the kind of book YOU would enjoy reading and tell the story that YOU want to tell. Happy writing, everyone!
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
