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

Oops! Did I call this post, 'Book Fails'? Of course I meant 'Book Sales'. All ten of them in a fifteen hour day; sat outside, squinting in the sun, baring my teeth and trying to wipe away the sweat, smothering myself in perfume disguised as sunblock.

Obviously, I was thankful for every book sold and when combined with the internet sales, I was doing quite well. But to me, "well" is never well enough.

I stuck it out for as long as I could but eventually my enthusiasm to have a numb backside at yet another book fair waned thin. The rose-coloured glasses came off and some much needed clarity came into view. Something had to change...

For a while I was content; convinced that this time would be different, that I'd learnt from my mistakes. This time I would make sure the images were clearer and that the text was easier to read. I would talk to all the right people and I'd appear in all the right magazines.

The journey officially restarted and I was ready for the hike. But, somewhere along this metaphorical road, I came across a crooked sign and written on it were the words of Henry Ford: 'If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always got.' That's when I realised that this time wasn't going to be any different at all because I wasn't actually doing anything different.

That was when I took a step back and decided to enter a new chapter of my life. Here I introduced a much-needed plot twist. Things were certainly going to be different this time!

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...

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.