Interview with Author and TWR Alum Isaac Hamilton-Mckenzie
Author Isaac hamilton-Mckenzie
Agent/Agency: Rachel Petty, theblairpartnership
Preferred genre(s): Fantasy/Crime/Thriller
A few favorite books or authors: Stephen King, Colson Whitehead, Mario Puzo, Tomi Adeyemi, Caleb Azumah Nelson
Instagram handle: @isaac.Mckenzie
In a few sentences, tell us about your manuscript!
My next book is a teen action fantasy following a young protagonist who discovers he has advanced abilities. After his best friend is kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity, he is forced on the run by a secret organisation who seeks to use his powers for evil. On this journey he discovers his true identity, the root of his powers, and encounters some familiar strangers along the way.
Where are you in the submission process?
I’m currently editing with my agent.
What inspired the idea for this book?
It’s set in my hometown London, so I guess my area. In terms of my interests, I like action and fantasy, and wanted to create an exciting, nonstop storyline grounded in reality and the world we know, but also containing a fantastical element. My inspirations in the space were Jason Bourne, James Bond, X-men (Marvel in general), and Harry Potter.
Did you have this idea before you started TWR, during, or after you completed the course? How did TWR help you on your writing journey?
Yes, about 2 years prior. I had a full manuscript but by the time I started on TWR I was working on other projects.
In terms of how it helped my writing journey I’d say before TWR I hadn’t ever had a beginning to end peek behind the curtain of someone else’s writing process. It was cool being able to apply some nuggets of how a successful person operates, while being reassured on the things that worked best for me. Also, being in a social environment where fellow writers would post their progress and ideas was useful. Even though I didn’t post a single entry of my own, it was still motivating to me to read how others were getting on!
Is this your first finished manuscript?
Yes and no. This is the first manuscript I ever finished, but it is night and day to what it was then. In many ways it’s a completely different story.
What was the most challenging aspect of the writing journey for you?
I’d say taking a step back perhaps. I tend to try and break through the wall sometimes and fight a certain block or lack of creativity. just taking a break away from writing really helps things go smoother when I get back to it.
How did you know you were ready to query agents? How many revisions did you go through before the manuscript was ready for submission?
I hadn’t submitted anything for around three and a half years. In the meantime I had worked on a few co-author commissions with a fiction house named Storymix, and graduated in early ’23. After that I started rewriting my own manuscript for proposal. I had new ideas and because of all the writing, whether through study, my own time, or the commissions I had already been a part of, I felt more confident in executing them.
I’d say I did around two revisions total.
How did you meet your agent? How did you know she was right for you?
I had been researching agents to send my work off to and narrowed down three (with one in particular as a preference). A few days later, quite randomly, I ended up being put in contact with the very same agency and agent I had primarily earmarked to send my own work too. We had a meeting and had a good rapport, and similar enthusiasm for the potential of the story. It went from there.
What has the process of working with an agent been like? Any surprises?
I’ve been quite lucky in that I’ve had a few mentors that know and informed me a bit about the business. In terms of my own agent experience, I haven’t really been through much yet to comment. Though the contract negotiations were an eye-opener.
How long have you known you wanted to be an author? What inspired you to take TWR?
Since I graduated and realised I wanted nothing to do with what I studied! I knew I wanted to do something I enjoyed, and storytelling (in any format) is something I have a passion for. In terms of twr, Tomi is someone I looked up to who’s done something I aspire to achieve myself, so it was a no-brainer to try and seek some knowledge from her.
Any advice for aspiring authors?
Stephen King said read a lot and write a lot and he’s much more successful than I’d ever be. I love that advice because it’s very simple, yet it can be hard to put into practice. I try to write 1k words a day, and always have a book on the go. To piggy back (steal) his advice, I’d say set a words and reads barometer that works for you and stick to it. It’ll be hard not to improve if you do. Also finish something. First drafts are more than likely going to be trash, but it’s finished! That is further than most people get.
Have you faced any rejection on your writing journey, or points where you felt you wanted to give up? How did you push through those moments?
For sure! When I first started writing I submitted my work off a lot and got plenty of rejection emails. Looking back, the work I sent off was objectively horrible which makes me feel a bit better now, but it didn’t at the time. I can’t say they ever made me feel like giving up though because (as of then and now) I didn’t want to do anything else. I just tried not to take it personally, and get better.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your experience?
One of the most valuable experiences along my writing journey has been working on three books with the fiction studio Storymix alongside Scholastic for the middle grade fantasy series Future Hero. Co-writing these books exposed me to writing to brief, the editing and re-writing process, and overall what it takes to develop a piece so it’s ready for publication. It definitely put me in good stead when approaching my own works.