Stuart Bone's Blog - Posts Tagged "reflecting"
Where Does the Time Go?
Ten years ago I uploaded my first novel, DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION onto Amazon, ready for all the world to see. I was excited but also terrified. Would my work be hated? Would it be loved? Would I find myself at a literary festival, reaching past JK Rowling for a sausage roll at the buffet table?
Those feelings and questions remained with the publication of every new book...well, less the reaching past JK Rowling.
Each time I hit the 'Publish' button I'm sending out something I've spent 1 to 2 years working on; something someone can finish reading in the space of a few hours, who can then rave about it or ridicule it.
I'm not where I thought I would be ten years ago, but then I wasn't where I thought I'd be back then either. When I left my job and sold my house to concentrate on writing, I envisioned taking a year out and going down the agent/publisher route. Instead I found myself self-publishing, but that gave me new skills, creating covers, formatting interiors, setting up my own website; and I gained confidence in my own abilities.
I don't think many of us feel we are necessarily where we thought we would be, but I'm a great believer in feeling we are where we are meant to be, even if that feels incredibly frustrating at times. These past six years I've taken on more of a carer's role, another experience that has taught me new skills and made me realise I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was. My current novel is taking longer to complete than previous ones but again, I think there's a reason for that. I'm still enjoying writing it and every new change is making it better.
So, whilst I'm not outselling Richard Osman (yet) I'm still here and writing ten years after publishing my first novel. That feels very special.
Those feelings and questions remained with the publication of every new book...well, less the reaching past JK Rowling.
Each time I hit the 'Publish' button I'm sending out something I've spent 1 to 2 years working on; something someone can finish reading in the space of a few hours, who can then rave about it or ridicule it.
I'm not where I thought I would be ten years ago, but then I wasn't where I thought I'd be back then either. When I left my job and sold my house to concentrate on writing, I envisioned taking a year out and going down the agent/publisher route. Instead I found myself self-publishing, but that gave me new skills, creating covers, formatting interiors, setting up my own website; and I gained confidence in my own abilities.
I don't think many of us feel we are necessarily where we thought we would be, but I'm a great believer in feeling we are where we are meant to be, even if that feels incredibly frustrating at times. These past six years I've taken on more of a carer's role, another experience that has taught me new skills and made me realise I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was. My current novel is taking longer to complete than previous ones but again, I think there's a reason for that. I'm still enjoying writing it and every new change is making it better.
So, whilst I'm not outselling Richard Osman (yet) I'm still here and writing ten years after publishing my first novel. That feels very special.
