The manuscript for Twice the Speed of Dark is currently with the editor for the first phase of the editing process. As I've never written a book before, I've never been in this positiion before. But I am really excited about it. I've never been worried about the interventions of others in my work, having discovered over many collaborative art projects that other people have so much to offer us in our creative endeavours. Sometimes just because a suggestion is made and our vehement rejection of it can inform us about what is truly important to us in that work. Other times a suggestion that hones and improves, or a deep insight may be offered that helps reveal something we have been groping for but had not completely realised.
I have been looking across the wide and murky sea of publicity. I am essentially cheerful and actually quite up for the challenges ahead, though as a beginner, it does look like a very wide sea, and I'm not sure what all these coiled ropes do. I am trying to identify islands that I can aim for. The maps I have currently are a little vague, but determination can defeat vagueness. Saying determined things like that to myself, it's all part of the plan....
One piece of advice that seems to make a great deal of sense is 'write another book' and as I am doing that already, it works for me. But the speed of writing is hampered by another bit of advice, which is 'be on social media every day, interact with people, build a profile, keep at it.' Does anyone know how you actually build a bot? An optimistic author flooding social media with valuable content bot? Answers below please!
In the mean time, I have been experimenting with digital images shifting in a chain. Making images is not easy exactly, but there is a soothing element of playful experimentation that both relaxes and feeds the mind. There may be rather a lot of this kind of thing over the next few weeks.
It is grey, wet and cold, but the clematis is speckled with brave little leaves, the rose has wine-coloured shoots, they look delicious. The daffodils headbang gaily in the wind and the season has turned. Wishing you all a happy spring.
