Thank you to everyone who responded to my last post about what I should do next. I’m grateful for your comments and support. Writing creatively and trying to find an audience, let alone financial reward, can be tough.
There’s a lot of doubt and rejection along the way.
So, after reading the comments and reflecting I’ve decided to take a short summer break from writing. I need to recharge my batteries and it’s giving me more time to read, which is of course essential for a writer (but time-consuming if you need to hit a word count).
Reading is like adding compost, nurturing. If you don’t read you can’t really be serious about writing, Stephen King says – and he seems to have done OK.
So, I’m reading a wide variety of fiction and journalism. The last few….
The Duke – Life and Lies of Tommy Morrison by Carlos Acevedo
The World of Christopher Marlowe by David Riggs
Rebuilding Coventry by Sue Townsend
The Sound of Trumpets by John Mortimer
Unlawful Killings by Wendy Joseph KC
And, next in line are…
Pig Iron by Ben Myers
Somebody’s Husband, Somebody’s Son by Gordon Burn
With the pressure off a little I’m enjoying reading more and, hopefully with time, I’ll be off and running again with a fresh idea and desire. I have several stories under consideration and a piece about Birmingham about to be published in a book, so it’s a good time to regroup.
I’m sure I’ll always write short stories but won’t commit to any longer term projects until I’m ready. I spend most of my working day writing so perhaps I’m just a little jaded. In time, when I’m ready, I’ll go again.
The key thing is getting the love of it back.
Whatever you’re reading or writing I hope you’re enjoying it.
