A Writer’s Journey -
Writing is a lonely journey so would you mind walking with me a while?
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Even as I look at the title of this series I have to ask myself – Am I a writer? I have been asking myself that for years. If ever I refer to myself as a poet or a writer I do so with very little conviction and a sneaking belief that the writing police will arrest me in my sleep for impersonating a writer. I’ll be placed in a room where real writers will point at me and laugh.
When I was in my early teens I knew that I was going to be a writer. It was abundantly clear to me then that there was nothing else that I could do; nothing else worth doing. I wrote for kicks. Just a matter of time…putting in the years until I would leave home and buy that brown corduroy jacket and pipe and get down to the business of writing for a living.
When I was in college I still I knew that I was going to be a writer and I slept through many lectures having stayed up all night to work on a short story or the beginning of failed novel. In the future, I knew that I was going to live on a Caribbean island, drink copious amounts of gin and rum, get into fights with prostitutes and travel the world writing in my underpants by candlelight about dark and humorous characters that fought injustice and their own inner demons.
Somewhere between then and now I lost my way…But I’m back, I’m motivated and for the first time in a decade I’m actually beginning to believe that I am a writer. I’ve had a few poems published and if I’m not careful I might actually put together a collection some day soon. I’ve written two picture books and three children’s novels. I’ve three other children’s novels in varying states of construction. I’m submitting to agents and publishers for the first time in ten years. I’m not saying that I am a good writer but surely that sort of output and activity alone must allow me to say that I am indeed some class of a writer? Well, funnily enough, I cannot bring myself to add ‘writer’ to my list of occupations on Facebook just yet. And that is the acid test. So when will I? When I walk into a shop and pay €10 for my own book.
Over the next few weeks and months I’d like you to accompany me on this journey but not in silence. Speak up. If you’ve got published or got an agent then tell me and tell me all the hows and whys and I’ll share it(anonymously if you like) with the group.
If you haven’t got published then tell me your hopes and fears, your anguish and your anger and you’ll feel much better for it.
If you are sitting in your underpants right now wondering why you cannot write then put some trousers on and let me know.
In return, I will bare my soul and the contents of my rejection letters.
To contact me email: Mark at Bluebox dot ie
Tidbits of advice:
Buy or steal Writers and Artists Yearbook
Go to the White House Poets on a Wednesday night
Go to the ‘On The Nail’ readings in The Locke Bar every month.
Keep your eyes peeled for workshops at The Limerick Writers’ Centre (especially the Oisin McGann one!)
If you write you're a writer. Stick it on Facebook and screw the begrudgers! :o)
ReplyDeleteOne key item that any writer needs is luck. You can make your own luck to some extent but soemtimes it's a matter of being right place at right time (agent looking for particular genre, publisher moving into a new field)
You are very experienced and also committed to writing, from what you've said, so I say you ARE a writer. Many people who call themselves that don't actually write a whole lot.
ReplyDeleteI have books published and am currently musing about agents. Do I need one, I wonder? I've got all my books published without one. Irish and some English publishers are very approachable. I'd love to know how much an agent actually does for a writer. Clearly there are good ones and not so good ones. How does one nab a good one?
Based on my own experience I'd say an agent is essential. Publishers are by and large approachable but any deal they offer will be skewed to their advantage and it's very difficult to negotiate without industry expertise.
ReplyDeleteWhere agents really come into their own is in the area of translation rights - which is a black art to most of us writers.
Bob and Women Rule Writer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding your voices.
Womaen Rule Writer - would you be interested in telling me about the experience you had getting published for the first time - what made it happen for you. Also, were the second or subsequent times different?
Bob - can you tell me about your experience with Agents?
We can converse over email if you mail me at mark at bluebox dot ie.
I'd love to post your experiences.
Mark.
Mark,
ReplyDeleteMail sent as requested. Let me know if you need anything else.
B