Good question. I’ve been writing various things for ages, with no real focus or theme. Really just enjoying myself. But I’ve decided enough is enough, I have to take this thing-wot-I-do more seriously, even if it’s just to get my mother off my back asking me why I can’t write something like Jane Eyre. So, I’m kicking my insecurities and those who gift them to me up the proverbial back passage and exposing a full frontal bucket load of confidence by sorting my ‘stuff’ out. This starts with stopping something. Stopping giving away my writing for free. Yes, I’ll blog (much more often, I promise), and there may be the occasional bit of creative writing shoved in here and there, but the point is I need to get something published.
Now you know the situation, here’s the question. I’ve got a few dark/freaky fairy tales sitting patiently waiting for others to join them so that I can publish a full themed collection. I’d like to illustrate them too. I’ve also got a book sized story on the go. Not one for giving myself an easy time, this story has required a full world building exercise which has all been dumped in a wiki of its very own. I have some characters in mind, but they’re no way near developed to the point of clarity, neither is the plot line. I basically have a lot of narrative, most of which I don’t want to use as narrative. So there’s two projects, and deciding which one to dedicate time to is really annoying! The fairy tales is a bit more developed, well rounded, focused, easy to see the step by step process kind of project. The book isn’t. So my kind of logic tells me that I should focus on the fairy tales, get it finished, get something produced, and then start all the marketing malarkey, then I’ve got ‘something’ to show. Whadda you think?
Another part of sorting my ‘stuff’ out is sorting out this site, my ‘platform’ (I went to a ‘marketing your book’ workshop this weekend, so I know aaaallll the lingo now ;)). I’m spending this afternoon taking off the miserable ranty stuff, all the complete stories that I want to do something with, and generally giving it a good ol’ clean out. So it may seem a bit thinner than before, but…well…tough! I’m reassessing my social media presence too. I’ve spent some time away from it over the past few months and I’ve really, thoroughly enjoyed not getting caught up in the global distraction of narcissism and 2D ‘friendships’. It’s only with a massive reframing of the purpose of social media that I’m venturing back to it, now with my I’m-A-Writer face on. I was going to start completely afresh with a new Twitter and Facesplat account, but, thinking about it (I’m good at that y’know), I’ve decided it would be silly to neglect all you wonderful people who’ve already been so kind as to mark your interest with a ‘follow’. I hope to take you with me on my meander through this insane world of the business-of-writing from the point of view of a business-of-writing-phobe. I’ll probably need your unending support and proclamations of adoration in difficult times, but I won’t write about you if you don’t (maybe). Just a ‘like’ or maybe a ‘buy’ would be as good *smiling sweetly face*.
So, all change, but all good. Thanks for sticking around Thinking Chimps!