Jul
25
The Novel In Everyone
July 25, 2006 |
It’s been remarked that everyone thinks they have a novel in them. It’s an odd fact that I know more than what might be supposed to be my fair share of people who’ve got theirs out of them. More than one in many cases.
At root, it’s a side effect of the Virgin Publishing and then BBC Books’ programmes of Doctor Who books and the fact that I know a number of people who benefited by getting their work published in those ranges. And of course a number of them know others, who I’ve then been introduced onwards to.
And I freely admit that I’m far from immune to the creative urge. It used to get its outlet in TV and radio programmes, which while hardly ‘creative’ the way that a novel or a painting can be, nevertheless required creative thought in terms of their assembly, scripting, editing, etc. And my word but I was an ideas factory for new series pitches back in those days. At one point I was running out several a week, not all of which were terribly good, and some of which were utterly dreadful, but some of which at least got serious consideration by people whose serious consideration was worth having.
And then I went all ‘new media’ and it all went away.
Well, not completely away. Last time my friend Simon and I got together for instance, as well as talking about his book on Jimmy Perry and David Croft, we also discussed the plots of our respective Doctor Who novels. Yes, we’d been out of touch on separate continents for *years*, but along the way we’d both written a Doctor Who novel in our heads. Small world.
I’m still quite certain I could write one, and it actually be quite good; all I need is the time and focus to move from conceived plot to written reality. But then I’m sure that’s what everyone thinks, and let’s face it, some truly diabolical stuff does get into print, so what’s the stuff that gets trashed like?
Anyway - despite appearances, all of this is in fact a propos of something, and that’s that My Beloved gave up full time work last Friday, in order that alongside freelancing he should have time to do that thing he most wants to, which is, you’ve guessed it, write.
Significantly, he actually is good at it, and has been published and everything, so in his case he really does just need to make the time to focus on it.
He’s started a blog too, which is partly to encourage him to exercise his writing muscles. Once I get round to reinstating the blogroll he’ll obviously have pride of place, but in the meantime, those of a literary bent will find him here.
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6 Comments so far
My new year resolution this year was to make 2006 the year of the pen and it’s been modestly successful. Nothing published but lots of keyboard activity. Good luck with the Doctor Who novel. I’ll read it.
“year of the pen” != “lots of keyboard activity” surely…. ?
or am I being too literal ?
yes Dave, you are being too literal. Funnily enough a secondary aim of my trip is to get some writing done, I shall follow David’s progress with interest!! ;-)
I know I have a novel inside of me, and I also know that the most challenging part is actually getting it out of me! Sometimes I have a dream that I will, and it will be published, reviewed, TV-rights etc, and I’ll be rich and famous.
But to get there would require extraordinary hard work, tremendous talent, and extreme luck. And I know lots of people who eg sing or play hockey entirely for fun without any expectation of getting paid, so I don’t see why writing should be any different. Although I know a lot of published authors, mainly academic texts or accountancy textbooks or whatever.
This is the best (i.e only) advertisement for my book I’ve ever seen.
Email me!
Simon,
I can´t access email where I am, so in case you spot this before I get back online, there´s some snail mail on its way to you, but it´s coming to the work address, because the home address I have for you is the old one, and it was returned undelivered the first time. Sorry.