Novels

Here’s where you’ll find information on my longer works of fiction. All of them are free. I’ve long held the view that charging for novels online is pointless, that it effectively imprisons your stories in the wilderness of zero downloads, while readers go for the abundant free titles.

So,… you really can’t  be in this for the money. Writers just starting out can get a bit above themselves, but there’s nothing like actually writing for bringing you back down to earth.

The Secret of getting Published

Maybe, like me, you’re a writer who has a story to tell but finds it impossible to attract a publisher or an agent. I can’t tell you what the secret to success is because I don’t know. I’ve read those “how to” guides, and they all sound the same: study the market, write your story to suit it, persevere against the stream of rejections, and eventually, with a bit of luck, you’ll be published.

These books aren’t much use. I could tell you persistence will always pay off, but it doesn’t. This is not to say you should give up on your dreams, more that you should have a think about why you are writing in the first place. If it’s in your blood, you can no more stop writing than you can stop breathing, so if you can’t write for money, then give your work away. Online.

This is your only rational, logical choice.

But you’ve spent years penning your masterpiece, so there’s no way you’re going to just give it away. Why would you? You’ve worked hard on it and someone’s going to pay for the privilege of reading you. It’s only fair, right? Okay then, just slide that manuscript into a drawer and forget about it. I know I did. The Singing Loch sat in a drawer for ten years – but I’d not much choice in those days. If you wanted to reach a readership, you needed a publisher. Now it’s different. You can self-publish online, and it won’t cost you anything. You can be published in minutes.

Still not convinced? Then ask yourself this: is it a publisher I want? Or is it a reader? Do I want the kudos of being a published author, so I can brag about it at parties? Or do I just want to give vent to my muse and hopefully have someone else read my work? Well, nowadays readers are never far away and you don’t have to sell your soul to reach them. Just put your work up on sites like Smashwords, and they will find you.

My Publishing history

Like most writers, my early ambitions were conventional enough and I followed the path of magazine submissions for my shorter works, while my novels did the rounds of the London based publishers and Literary Agents. I enjoyed some success when, writing under my real name,  my short stories began appearing in Ireland’s Own magazine from about 1995. Although I gradually exhausted this particular genre, my relationship with that magazine was instrumental in honing my craft and in convincing me that I wasn’t fooling myself regarding my ability as a writer. Although I was unsuccessful in attracting a publisher for my longer work, I was at least persuaded that I had the ability to string words together in such a way others might like to read them.

Making paper submissions was a long-winded and rather opaque process with which I had grown deeply dissatisfied. But then the internet came along and made it so easy to self-publish I forgot about doing it the hard way. Contrary to popular myth, there is actually very little money to be made in writing, at least for your average author, and if we’re honest, what most of us want is readers – not publishers. Publishers and Agents were once a necessary hurdle to be overcome, but then the internet came along, and self-publishing was born.

Of course if you are a publisher or a literary agent I would still be glad to accept a generous advance from you. You’ll understand though if I don’t hold my breath.