Time to write that book!

In 1990 I was working as a technical training and overseas sales manager for a company that made agricultural machinery. I was lucky enough to travel to Africa and help train the operators of their machinery on its safe use. I went to South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya and utterly fell in love with the continent and its people.

At the same time as this I was undergoing training in short story writing and freelance journalism. Although my travel-bug was being fed by my job, I really wanted to be a writer. I was in a heavy metal band playing the drums at the time and although we all spoke about what we were going to do when the band ‘made it’, I also wanted a back up career, and writing was where I was placing my energy.

I gave up on journalism when the course teacher said, “If you are lucky enough to be the first at the scene of an accident, don’t call the police. Get your camera and take photos first.” It was at that point I realised I wasn’t built to be a journalist, but a career as an author still appealed.

I left my executive job with its expense account and company car and got a job as a milkman. I told myself that if I got up really early in the morning (3am) and finished my round by 9am I would have the rest of the day to write. The trouble with this thinking was that the manager, seeing I had a sales background, put me on the wholesale round, dealing with shops and other establishments. I started work at 3am and finished at 5pm… My plan was not going to work. I asked my previous boss if I could have my old job back and he was kind enough to take me back on a part-time basis and this would give me time to write, as well as earn a living. But customers didn’t like dealing with a manager who was only in the office every other day. It didn’t work, so I returned full time, and with that move I gave up on my writing aspirations.

Life continued. Changes, redirections, opportunities arrived and I took them. I moved away from the corporate world. My spiritual path opened up before me and with it I rediscovered my love of writing and playing music. Over the last 10 years, and particularly since 2006, I have been blessed to live a full life doing all of the things I love to do. But since the release of my last album, the idea of writing has re-entered my awareness. I’ve suddenly realised that if I’ve had the time to write and record 6 albums, I probably now have the time to write that book.

I’m out of practice. I need to get my story-writing mojo working. I need to brush up on my grammar, but I have to say that I’m getting quite excited about the prospect of trying something new.

My music is still my priority, but I think if life has changed to give me this time, I should take it.

I will be writing a book of short stories, each with a spiritual/supernatural/Otherworldy theme. I already tell stories with my songs. These tales will expand this way of storytelling, and allow me to engage another aspect of the Bardic Craft.

Research and plot outlines begin….now!

I’ll keep you posted!

7 responses to “Time to write that book!”

  1. Fantastic! Truly inspirational. I know the feeling all too well; alas I simply don’t have the guts to pull the plug on my corporate technical job to persue creativity such as you have. I take my hat off to you and look forward to the book!

  2. It is always good to learn when someone is about to embark on a new venture, something they have always aspired to. As with your songs and music your Bardic craft will come to the fore. I wish you well and will be very near the front of the queue when that book is published. Blessings. Lin

  3. Go for it! And don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t, and don’t let yourself tell you that you don’t have time.

    Have you heard of NaNoWriMo? It’s a month-long ascent into insanity in which participants are challenged to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. A couple years ago, while working full time, taking university classes part time, and being a Municipal Liaison for NaNoWriMo for the first time, I wrote 100,000 words in November. So it is doable.

    There is a Camp NaNoWriMo (it’s all online, not a physical camp) coming up in April — lots of support and pep talks and the knowledge that others are doing the same thing.

  4. Cool! I’m looking forward to read about that process. Keep us informed 🙂 Adam and I are registered in the London School of Journalism and until now I haven’t done much but Adam is writing a fiction story and he is spending a lot of hours at the computer lately. We’ll be interested to follow any thoughts, inspiration, here. Yay!

    Mika,(in Spain)

  5. Live it and write it …..whatever you touch will be Midas envey my friend….nice to know your art is a break from the daily work world for so many people including me…Cheers

  6. Dear Wonderful Bard,
    I’m ready to put your manuscript into an object of beauty, containing the beauty of your life. Let me know when you’re ready (I’m not being pushy or anything). You would have to pay printing costs, however your royalties would be much higher than going to the publisher. You will do what is best. Yet know it would be my honor . . .
    peace,
    mickey morgan (mickeypamo on Amazon)
    http://TheKarmaPress.com

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