From Elephants to Espionage: Vaseem Khan on Q, Rejections, and Finding the Joy in Writing.
The journey to becoming a published author is rarely a straight line, but few paths have been as globally adventurous, or involved a greater number of pachyderms and famous spies, as that of Vaseem Khan.From his decade living in India to his new role continuing the legacy of James Bond’s very own gadget master, Q, here are the key takeaways and inspiration points from a writer who proves that persistence truly is the only non-negotiable trait in this business.100 Rejections and the Power of Persistence.Vaseem’s story is a powerful reminder that rejection is not destiny, it’s just part of the process.After being encouraged by an English teacher in school, he wrote his first novel, a comic fantasy, at the age of 17. The response? A swift, harsh rejection. This was followed by a staggering two decades of writing and seven more rejected novels across various genres.* A Brutal Education: Over that period, Vaseem collected over a hundred rejection letters, describing the feeling as “like being kicked in the bollocks repeatedly every few years.”* The Commitment to the Dream: What kept him going was the fundamental love for books and the idea of being a writer. He believes those who last the course never give up on that core dream.* The Breakthrough Moment: His career finally launched at age 40 when he tapped into his personal experience: his 10 years living in India. He wrote The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra - a crime novel set in modern Mumbai featuring a serious policeman who inherits a baby elephant. His editor loved it precisely because it was “completely different to anything we’d seen in the crime fiction market.”Vaseem’s Advice on Finding Your Voice: You have to write what you know, or at least, what you are uniquely positioned to write. The trick is to do something “completely different, but the same, take an established genre, stick to its core beats, but tweak the formula just enough to offer a unique perspective.”Commissioned by Ian Fleming: The Q Mystery Series.Perhaps the most exciting new development in Vaseem’s career is his commission by the Ian Fleming Estate to continue the story of James Bond’s gadget master, Q.The request was clear: they did not want another straight spy novel.* The Perfect Pitch: The Estate asked for “something halfway between Mick Herren’s Slow Horses and Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club.“* The Premise: In the first book, Quantum of Menace, Q is booted out of MI6 at age 50. He returns to his small hometown, having left a “messy past behind,” to reinvestigate the mysterious death of a childhood friend. The hope is that he will evolve into an amateur detective, solving mysteries in this small-town setting.* The 007 Cameo: For Bond fans, Vaseem confirmed that he’s included plenty of Easter eggs, and Commander James Bond “does make a meaningful appearance in the second half of the book.”The Single Most Important Piece of Writing AdviceWhen asked for the one crucial tip he gives in his workshops, Vaseem didn’t hesitate:“The number one reason that books are rejected by agents is because the quality of the book does not meet their minimum standard for them to be able to have confidence sending it out to a publisher.”His concrete advice is to focus on craft before submission:* Understand Your Genre: Know the standards for prose, plotting, and characterization required for your specific genre (e.g., crime fiction needs a strong hook and right ‘beats’ over literary prose).* Get Quality Feedback: You must get feedback. Don’t rely solely on friends; consider paying an experienced, trusted editor who has a proven history in the industry.* Don’t Ruin the Hook: You normally only get one good chance with a brilliant idea. Bad execution will ruin your chance with an agent, forcing you to write something else. Make the best possible fist of your manuscript before you send it in.Vaseem’s interview was a masterclass in commitment, creativity, and the power of finding that one unique idea that can change everything. You can find his books, including his new Q novel, on his website and at all major bookstores.Catch the full interview with Vaseem Khan on our YouTube channel: This is a public episode. 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