It’s easy. Start out years ago with a huge amount of self-belief and a modicum of talent. Get annoyed after years because people don’t come seeking you out to publish the small bits and pieces you manage to write every now and again. After a while realise and accept that you’re no Mozart. Watch your thirtieth birthday go by as you continue to punch the clock. What was that? A decade? Watch your fortieth birthday go by as you punch the clock. Slowly accept that you need to put in the hours and work, work, work, even if it seems that no one will ever read your poems and stories. Send work out. Get it back. Get over it. Get over yourself. Send work out until you stop snivelling and your skin hardens and you learn to accept that editors are only human too. Sometimes they’re right, sometimes not. (My experience is that they’re right more often than they’re wrong). Enjoy the small successes. Tell people about them. Don’t be ashamed of what you do. Relish it when a publication you admire accepts your poem or story. Accept praise – even though you were always taught to feel uncomfortable when being complimented. Slowly but surely you will get to wherever it is you’re going.
This is a very brief but fairly accurate account of my writing experience to date. I’m glad to say that in these last seven or eight years I’ve been committed and working hard. Here’s where I am just now:
I’m working on the latest draft of my novel for 9-12 year olds Rising. A handful of extremely able people have read the completed draft for me and raised some important issues that I need to look at, but I’m confident that it won’t be long before I have the finished work ready to send out. I was heartened by the news in January that it was Highly Commended in the Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair competition.
My first novel, the decidedly adult themed literary fiction work Winter Journey was shortlisted for the Today Programme / New Island Get Your Novel Published competition. I was in good company on the shortlist with Tara Sparling, Jessica Traynor and Stephen Murray, but the ultimate winner was Don Cameron. His novel Marked Off will be published by New Island in early 2015. I’m more hopeful than ever that Winter Journey will find a home soon.
At the end of February I took a trip to Galway for the launch of Crannóg 35. It was a great night and I was delighted to read my featured sonnet To Youth. Last September I joined the Hibernian Poets, a really talented and open group of poets who meet in the Teachers’ Club on Parnell Square every month, and combined with the advice I’ve been getting from the brilliant John Murphy my work has come on a great deal. I have a poem forthcoming in Ropes 2014 which will be launched during Cúirt Festival in Galway on 10th April. I also have a poem forthcoming in the newly revived Honest Ulsterman in April. And just the other day I learned that my poem Life is Elsewhere has been shortlisted for the Galway University Hospital Arts Trust Poetry Competition. This list is very strong and includes fellow Hibernian and serial poetry competition winner Breda Wall Ryan!
I just learned last week that my short story The Sommelier was placed second in the Labello Press International Short Story Prize. The story will feature alongside the winning and shortlisted stories in the second Gem Street anthology later this year. The Penny Dreadful is a relatively recent literary journal coming out of Cork. My story There is Magic features in Issue 3 which will be launched in the Twisted Pepper on Abbey Street at 8.30pm on Friday 4th April. It’s brilliant to be part of a publication which features some of the most important poets and writers working in Ireland right now. Check out who is featured and buy a copy – or better still, come to the Dublin launch on 4th April. And what a great cover image!
Great post, resonates with a lot of the rest of us.
Thanks Eileen!
I really enjoyed this Brian. God knows it can be a humbling business (!) but you sound both industrious and quietly determined and I have no doubt we’ll be at your book launch before long. Apparently Woody Allen said ‘ success is 75% turning up’! MG
Thanks Mary. Congrats on your bursary by the way!
God knows, we’re all in it together, Brian–scribbling away, year in, year out. That’s why we relish one another’s successes. Heartiest congratulations on all of yours, especially your most recent ones. Your two novels, “Winter Journey ” and “Rising”, seem to be on the cusp of something big. Fingers crossed.
So true Connie! Hope you’re keeping well and working hard…
Nice post, Brian – it can be slow, but you’re making great progress. I’m sure we’ll see a book from you very soon
Thanks Valerie – fingers crossed!
Well said, Brian. It all feels very familiar, especially the counting in decades part… Congrats on the New Island shortlisting, and all your publications.
Thanks Paula. Yea, time is the one thing we don’t have enough of.
Well done Brian – great article. Continued success, and great things for the future.
Thanks Louise – great to hear Last Kiss is well on the way too!
Great article. Heartening. We’ll done on your success.
Cheer Alan!
Well done Brian, and well said. Standards are high out there in literary land, but you are right, it’s all the more joyful when we get something published. I enjoyed reading your very honest posting.
Thanks Deirdre, I suppose it’s all about being committed to your work and enjoying what you’re doing. Why else bother?