Greetings and welcome to my blog.
At the time of writing this first post, I’m a new author with one novel to my name. I have a website, a Facebook author page, a Goodreads author page, a handful of sales and some reads on Kindle Unlimited but no review as yet.
So, It’s early chapters in my adventure in literature and a good time to start a blog about my journey. I’ll begin by winding things back a little to what motivated me to write a book and explore the reasons why I believed that I could write a book. I’ll disclose my process for devising the framework of my novel and discuss writing, editing, editing, editing and editing again; I’ve not read it since publishing and to be honest, I’m afraid to do so, just in case I find the one typo that I missed. Then it’s onto publishing and promoting and that will bring me up to date.
Hopefully, I’ll then have some more chapters to add and will have gained some new friends along the way.
Hey! Hey! Where you goin? Give me a chance eh, I plan to have some fun with this blog but I’ve gotta set the scene first. I like writing dialogues and my first book is full of em, so I’ll be trying to work some into this blog; toned down a bit though because my usual stuff is a bit hard hitting and streetwise.
Ok, now I've got you, just a bit more serious stuff and then we'll have a bit of fun. I’ll be inviting comments about what I write here and looking forward to any discussions that might generate. I’ve been around the block a few times, so I’m not precious about my work and ideas, I’m open to being challenged and enjoy it when someone puts forward something to change my mind. That’s the fun of words. I’ll be posting once per month, in between working on my second novel. So let’s get the ball rolling by looking at some motivations to write books.
Fame, fortune, something to say, sharing ideas, telling a story, leaving a legacy, these are just a few reasons that someone might choose to write a book and I guess every writer is different in their motivations. Let’s take a look at the first two on the list.
Only a few authors attain fame in a way that they become instantly recognizable and the floor beneath them is occupied by those who are successful but who can still walk down the street unaccosted and lead a normal life. Further down still are the rest of us, the aspiring hopefuls; some who want to be stars, others that still want to be able to sit at a bar and study life, unnoticed. I’m in the latter group.
Yes, I’m sure it’s nice to be recognized, admired and complimented but once that genie is out of his bottle, he takes some getting back in. Fame gives but also takes away and many who pursue it, do so unthinkingly or in the belief that the pros outweigh the cons but do they? I guess it’s different for everyone. If you’re a person who needs the approval of others; be that through what you've achieved or what you own, then maybe the trade off seems worthwhile but if you’re a person who likes to own themselves, who values freedom, then the price may be too high.
If after weighing it all up, you still decide that you want your fifteen seconds and fame embraces you, then that’s fine, it's your choice and you took it knowing the ups and downs. However, I believe that for many who court fame, they stumble into her – Ooo! I’ve given Fame a gender, that should get tongues wagging – lair unknowingly or are carried in by others. Some accept the trade off, the rest settle into their new conflicted life, in love with Fame, their exciting yet demanding lover.
Not for me Fame. Nice to see my name on the spine of a book, nice to have some good reviews or critical acclaim, nice to sign some books, nice to be recognized once in a while, nice to have a bestseller, nice to have a book made into a movie.
“Hold on a minute! I just wanted to go for a quiet drink and scout out some material for new characters.”
“It’s too late for that dharling, you’re public property now, so sign the autograph and pose for a piccy, smile!”
“But what about my drink?”
“No time for that now, you have a book signing and an interview scheduled, maybe later if we can find time.”
“Who are you and why are ruining my life?”
“I’m Fame dharling and I’m here until I tire of you.”
“But I don’t want you.”
“Yes you do, now stop complaining, be nice and smile!”
“Ok but.”
“No buts just behave yourself.”
“I love you Fame.”
“Yes, I know you do and I’m going to use and abuse you, then dump you.”
“But not just yet, right?”
“I don’t know, I haven’t made my mind up yet, now smile.”
“Ok sweetheart, anything for you.”
So you didn’t want Fame and you didn’t seek Fame but she found you anyway and now she’s taken over your life. Occasionally it’s nice, very nice and you love that part of it but then there’s the ever present demands, which you’re beginning to hate.
However, there are compensations. Fame’s sibling for instance, Fortune. She’s very accommodating and will give you everything your heart desires. Want a flash car? Here, have one. Want a bigger house? No problem. Feel like a glass of champagne? Why not; in fact, take the bottle. Now that last one could become a problem but not just yet.
“There you go sweetheart. Fame may be playing the field and treating you like dirt but Fortune is looking after you, making you happy. You are happy aren’t you?”
“Sometimes.”
“But I’ve given you all those nice things. What about your flash car, don't you like it?”
“Meh, it’s just a car.”
“I’ll get you a better one then.”
“But that will just be a car too.”
“Ok, how about a bigger house?”
“This one is already too big.”
“Well what can I give you to make you happy? You can have anything you want, just say it.”
“That’s the problem.”
“What’s the problem?”
“Well, it's just that – never mind.”
“No, you must tell me now.”
“But I don’t want to upset you.”
“You’ll upset me if you don’t tell me.”
“It’s just that – well, you’re just too easy. There I said it.”
"You'd miss me if you didn't have me."
"Yeah, you got me there. I'll have a Lamborghini then."
"Well write another book then!"
"Man! you're just as demanding as Fame."
"I know dharling but you love us both don't you."
"Yes but stop calling me dharling."
"Oh dharling you're insufferable but still a dharling."
Ugh, Fame and Fortune, two ladies that I never want to get involved with. I’ll sit here at the end of the bar, with my glass of whiskey, watching the world go by and if those two come in, then I’ll flirt with them but that’s it. I’m a man of principle, a thinking man in control of himself. I know them for what they are and can easily resist their charms. Yes, I know I can, in fact, I think it should be quite easy. No problem for a man like me, perhaps. Yes, I can probably do it, should be able to do it.
Glass is empty, should I get another? Nah, probably should be getting along now but I could have resisted them if they'd come in.
Next time, more motivations.
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