S. McPherson's Blog: On my way to being a writer - Posts Tagged "dream"

I came...I saw...I deluded myself. With illustrations so pixel-ated it was like trying to see through shattered glass and with alluring curvy text that was actually impractical for reading, I set about promoting my book to anyone who would listen.

My blind belief paid off (temporarily) leading to book signings, readings and appearances in magazines. It seemed like the pieces of this self-publishing puzzle were finally slotting into place and working in a nursery was the last little bit. It granted me access to a vast audience to sell to and word naturally spread from there.

It was great!

And I lived happily ever after...

on my own island...

in Tahiti!!

My first self-published book was about perseverance and after it's mini success, persevere I did. I accepted that it wasn't as good as it could be; no, should be, and I began working on the next books in the series; 'Thomas Clay wanted to Play' and 'Emma Creet wanted a sweet'. For Thomas, I hired an illustrator and for Emma, I decided to draw them myself.

Meanwhile I was also getting my own illustrations for the first book revamped so I could remove the work of "The Tool" once and for all. I didn't know my plan for these books or if I'd follow the same routes I previously had, but I knew I wasn't going to stop.

So to quote my favourite animated fish since Little Mermaid, I just kept swimming, further and further out into uncharted waters.

My first attempt at something different was to start a blog but I didn't really know what to write about. One of my ideas was a blog of original quotes so I gave it a try:



'I sometimes think that love is like magic; beautiful to believe in but impossible to know if it really exists.' - S. McPherson



'Sticks and stones may break my bones and one day they will heal, but words you say will stay with me and forever make me feel.' - S. McPherson



'Without hope, we are without reason.' - S. McPherson



'Experience the world from as many different angles as you can. See it through as many different eyes.' - S. McPherson



'You can only look at what's on the outside for so long, then you need to start looking within.' - S. McPherson



'A world without laughter would be unbearable.' -S. McPherson



'When you reach a fork in the road, simply close your eyes and point.' - S.McPherson



'Without passion, we are without purpose.' - S. McPherson

For a while my original quotes blog was fun but I didn't get much further than that.

Another blog that never saw the light of day, was the one I called 'Life's Song'. The first and only installment was this:

I never shy away from the mundane; from the monotonous rhythm of the everyday life. I welcome its verse. I memorise its chorus. Wake my dear, work my dear, eat my dear, sleep my dear. It serenades me like a cumbersome lullaby and sometimes I'm half tempted to oblige. Go to sleep princess and await the arrival of your handsome prince. But what good is that? How does sleeping through your life constitute as living? Well, it doesn't! Now I'm not saying I wouldn't want a prince charming! Let's not get ahead of ourselves! But that doesn't mean I don't quite fancy being my own hero too.

I find that setting myself goals can help and so I write a list. And with that list, I make a promise to myself that when the repetitious humdrum of a life less lived beckons me into what it believes is sweet slumber- I won't fall asleep! Instead I will write my lists; my set of lyrics that allow me to dance and sing along to the burgeoning melody of life's song.

Please keep checking back to see how and if I manage to change the beat of my existence.

And that was all...

Unruly waves fling themselves at my ship. Rain barrels down from the sky and lightning meets the sea in a jagged electric blaze. The harsh slap of the wind stings my lips and smothers them in liquid salt. I watch the wheel spin; veering this way and that. Somewhere along my travels, I have taken the wrong course.

Scrabbling in my pocket, I pull out my compass and realise that the arrow is pointing North, away from the storm and towards my first true love; novels. It is time to go back.

‘Land ho!’ I cry as I steer the boat in another direction.

It isn’t long before I am carried away on the current of my imagination. Diving in and out of waves of fantasy; words flooding my mind like the tumultuous crests of high tide on the shore.

Forever a hopeless romantic and a vivid dreamer of the unbelievable, my route is clear. There is only one channel for my tale to take; a fantasy romance one. I stand on the mast of my stories ship, telescope in hand. Perhaps on the lookout for a romance I can never find; I start to invent one.

And so my voyage begins again…

There is something inexplicably romantic about a perfect imperfection; something that is so wrong it is somehow equally so fitting. ‘The Faults in our Stars’ had a tumour take the life of a seemingly perfect romance. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ let a name tarnish the blade of their swords. ‘Titanic’ had its iceberg, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ had incompatible personalities that could surely never make it and 'Twilight' had its fangs. So what is it about these imperfections that we, the audience, devour? Is it perhaps because just for a moment it allows us to hope that love can conquer all; and that even in death, love is lasting?

Either way, many of our greatest love stories include one very large imperfection; one impossibly giant hurdle that the audience so desperately want the lovers to overcome.

In my story, I chose distance. I introduce Dezaray, the heroine, living an unwanted life in a little English city called Islon, so desperately in need of an escape. And then we meet Milo, the hero, a further escape than Dezaray can possibly imagine. He introduces her to freedom, to love, to another life in another world…Perfect. However, Dezaray doesn’t belong in his world and it is only a matter of time before she has to go back…thus tangles the web of perfect imperfection. They say love can cross oceans but can it cross worlds?

It was then I finally realised that I didn’t know what to blog about or how to tell the world ‘I’m here!’

I didn’t know how to draw in my target audience; what they wanted to know; what they wanted to read. It was also then that I decided that if I didn’t know what you; my audience, wanted, then I should probably just ask.

Thus www.smcphersonbooks.com was born. I told you all about me; the book I am writing and I asked for your opinion. I hopped on twitter (an account I had made and neglected eons ago) and decided to be more active. I posted tweets, added pictures and followed like-minded people. Slowly but surely my idea was developing. Nothing was or is set in stone but it looked like there was hope for me yet.

My aim was transparent; the task more convoluted. I had to define and find my target audience.

There were many things to research; so many things to consider. Where they might live, what languages they might speak, what lifestyle they might have or perhaps their upbringing. I had to consider their age, gender and ethnicity. For a while I wondered if I should look into their blood type! Or perhaps a favourite colour would determine what books people read?

It took me some time to regain my sanity but soon I had it sussed and I began to visit websites and look at magazines that my audience might.

And now at last, my target is clear. All that’s left is to aim, fire and hope I make a hit.

As the end of the year approaches,

It’s time to reflect on this year’s tales,

Of family and of laughter,

Of successes and of fails,

Remember how you cried,

Remember when you fell in love,

Remember how you tried,

And when you thought you’d had enough.

It’s been a rollercoaster with its ups and with its downs,

It’s been a crazy ride, with its smiles and with its frowns.

Now here’s to resolutions,

Time to welcome a new you.

Shy away from all illusions,

Seek out something that is true.

Time to go for what you want;

don’t let your dreams just disappear,

Say a toast and be with loved ones as you bring in this new year!

The January lull has come to an end. The resolutions and the vows of a healthier lifestyle, starting to feel like the remnants of a distant dream. Did you say: Never drinking again?? Only whole-wheat toast from now on?? You want to lose how many pounds by the end of the month?? All very admirable tasks but the chore of sticking to news year’s resolutions usually results in them dissolving close to the time new year begins.

That’s why this year, I threw in a few things, I knew I would stick to. Things that I already wanted and was working towards; I just reminded myself of them when the clock struck twelve.

As you may have guessed, many of these re-resolutions revolve around my book. Resolution 1: PUBLICISE! A feat I am a stranger to and no fan of. Publicising the book is like parading your new-born on the red carpet whilst the umbilical cord is still attached. You’re haggard, sleep deprived and both covered in substances you pray will wash off and yet the worst is not over. You have to smile and bellow over the baby’s cry, hoping to be heard over the arrival of Jennifer Lawrence and Kim Kardashian.

Publicity almost seems unkind. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to clean yourself up first; put on a nice dress? Surely your little one can enjoy a few hours’ sleep, have some food before the showcase begins??

Absolutely not! The publicity train is a fast paced and unforgiving one. You miss your stop and you may never get another ride. So pull out your sad little Kleenex, wipe the blood off your face, hook your babe on your bosom and let’s do this! ALL ABOARD!