Finally.
When I started writing, my goal was just to find the time to write. Not especially ambitious, but with a young family and a full-time job working shifts in a busy children’s home, it was enough of an target. Then I realised two things. Firstly, I was actually pretty good; and secondly, I was at risk of ending up with dozens of stories and novels lying around on hard drives and in notebooks if I didn’t do something with them.
In fact I still have several outlines for novels in my notebooks, stored in my Welsh dresser. The sequels to my work-in-progress, Longhope, as well as several sequels. A few stand-alone novellas. And three thriller novels based around a not-so-retired hitman.
So with all that material around I set myself another goal. One novel per year. Certainly nowhere near as prolific as some indie authors, but enough for me. I still have to fit my writing around my family and my job, as well as studies. Last year I completed a level five diploma in residential childcare management. This year I’m on course to complete… a level five diploma in residential childcare management, having been promoted to management in Wales. For some reason the Welsh regulators weren’t happy with the diploma I’d earned in England so I’m topping it up with several extra units, whilst managing a home.
Last year, with all that was going on, I missed my target. Although I’d written a ton of short stories and outlined a whole series of novels, I didn’t publish anything to Kindle. The novels, The Trophy Hunter Series, didn’t turn out as well as I’d wanted, so I’ve left them on the backburner at least for now.
This year I’ve just scraped by. Ten Years Gone has just gone live on Amazon. It’s a collection of short stories (twenty-five of them) but it still counts, right? It’s the most diverse piece of work I’ve published. Of course it covers horror, but there are a lot of other things in there. Sci-fi, social commentary, flash fiction.
When I started writing, my goal was just to find the time to write. Not especially ambitious, but with a young family and a full-time job working shifts in a busy children’s home, it was enough of an target. Then I realised two things. Firstly, I was actually pretty good; and secondly, I was at risk of ending up with dozens of stories and novels lying around on hard drives and in notebooks if I didn’t do something with them.
In fact I still have several outlines for novels in my notebooks, stored in my Welsh dresser. The sequels to my work-in-progress, Longhope, as well as several sequels. A few stand-alone novellas. And three thriller novels based around a not-so-retired hitman.
So with all that material around I set myself another goal. One novel per year. Certainly nowhere near as prolific as some indie authors, but enough for me. I still have to fit my writing around my family and my job, as well as studies. Last year I completed a level five diploma in residential childcare management. This year I’m on course to complete… a level five diploma in residential childcare management, having been promoted to management in Wales. For some reason the Welsh regulators weren’t happy with the diploma I’d earned in England so I’m topping it up with several extra units, whilst managing a home.
Last year, with all that was going on, I missed my target. Although I’d written a ton of short stories and outlined a whole series of novels, I didn’t publish anything to Kindle. The novels, The Trophy Hunter Series, didn’t turn out as well as I’d wanted, so I’ve left them on the backburner at least for now.
This year I’ve just scraped by. Ten Years Gone has just gone live on Amazon. It’s a collection of short stories (twenty-five of them) but it still counts, right? It’s the most diverse piece of work I’ve published. Of course it covers horror, but there are a lot of other things in there. Sci-fi, social commentary, flash fiction.
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