A quick update for you all (technorati spiders and occasional lost wanderers, so I presume). The work experience is going well, apart from they all seem to think I am straight from University. “So, are you on a media course?” asks one. “Ah, no,” says I. “What are you studying?” asks another. “I studied Illustration,” reply I, smiling benignly. I am figuring the benign smile will stop further age-related questions, and so far I am right. See, this is London – never trust a smiling person.
It’s nice to work in an office again, even though I am now itching to get back here and get started. I need to re-think my original plan. The original plan was to keep up with professional writing by writing for a few magazines / local paper, so there is a trickle of money coming in and then spend all the rest of my time writing the book. However, I think I have complicated the issue as I have spent a lot of time researching magazines etc, and now I do write for one paper and a potential two magazines, but this piece work is now taking up the book time. And I am supposed to be designing two websites, one for me, one for a friend – and both of these are also taking time away from the book.
I need to say to myself the following and repeat it everyday if I am in danger of forgetting:
1 – I am not rich.
2 – The only reason I am not in fulltime employment is that I want to write my book.
3 – If I do not write my book, than in 3 months time I will be skint anyway and needing a job.
4 – It is highly unlikely I will be able to save up this sort of cash to do this again.
5 – So it is sort of now or never.
Ah, nothing like the faint whiff of pressure last thing at night…
3 comments:
Hi again. I've been reading your entertaining blog and have come to the conclusion you are very brave indeed to give up work to write your book. I never really wanted to be writer, but after being off work for a year with a back problem, I found that my head was brimming with ideas for a music book - much to my amazement, so I decided to write it in my spare time over about 7 months (I'm not as brave as you). I couldn't get any of the main publishing houses interested in it so went to an internet self publisher (www.penpress.net) and paid for it to be copy edited printed and distributed. They designed the cover and got the ISBN number etc. It is now available through internet book sellers but without any real advertising it is hard going but I'm hoping to sell a few copies via my website.
Good luck with your book - it is well worth it for the self-esteem if nothing else!
A warm hello to you, oh I am chuffed that you think it is entertaining! And thanks for your words - that is really kind of you. As for being brave… ah cheers! It probably helps that I am free from responsibilities at this moment in time; if I had children or a mortgage to consider, then perhaps it would all be a bit different. But I have always wanted to do this…so who knows! Where there's a will, there's a way, right?!
Thanks for telling me about your book, how great – you have a book out there in the world! And the cover is great, really striking. I am sure you probably have already done this, but have you sent a review copy off to all the music mags? I can probably help you with addresses if you need them.
You're right, of course. I've got a mortgage and a family to consider and I'm not sure either of them would understand 6 months non-payment!
I have already sent out to NME, Uncut, Mojo and Kerrang! but without any success (or reply, come to that). Any other addresses you have would be more than welcome. Thanks!
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