Tom Corven - The World's Most Expensive Novel

A Twist in the Road

2008-07-02T01:19:00.001-07:00

A deal with National Express took me to London and back for £2, allowing me the privilege of sharing time with some of my favourite people. The contrast with life on the hill and the city is enormous and dipping between these worlds puts each in sharp focus. Through such contrasts, the joy of being relatively poor is sharpened. No, I'm not saying that having no money is my preferred state but that, like anything in life, it really has a positive side. It forces you to be resourceful, pushes you to act beyond your comfort zone and helps put things into perspective. Hunger is the best spice and the little luxuries, through the prism of this perspective, become precious experiences that the wealthy cannot afford.

Thinking of this, I want to share my world with others. Writing is one avenue and someday, with luck and perseverance, I will succeed. I can never be accused of being in a hurry to make it big - this project, this game I am playing with my life, is a long-term commitment and I will continue to look for new ways to express myself and share my journey with others.

At the limit of my finances, I can still draw on a lifetime of good credit. And, as long as I continue to choose adventure over insurance, I will stay in control long enough to bring the dream home. This is why I have just spent the equivalent of $6,000 on High Definition video equipment - a small price for some but a year of increased penury for me. The way I see it, I cannot afford to live like others and remain free to do what I do. The reality is that I am already homeless. I would never waste my credit-card to buy a year in a bed - it would be a short-term comfort. This way, I might eventually have something to show for the financial risk and the discomfort that is sure to follow.

I can understand why people might think me mad but I intend to document the next year of my life. The logistics of such a task are intimidating. Carrying my world on my back, I now have to contend with a heavy camera, a tripod, more power problems and the worry of damaging equipment I cannot afford to replace. To add to this, I must be ruthless with myself to make room for the new paraphernalia. Gone is the big tent, replaced – for now at least – with something weighing in close to that of a bag of sugar. Gone are unnecessary items such as tea bags, coffee, milk and even a cup. Gone are spare, spare clothes and a heavy, warm sleeping bag. Perhaps, as I get fitter and gain a better understanding of how to make this work, I can add some of these things back but, for now, I'm sure I can survive with what I have.

With no experience in film-making I hope, nevertheless, to capture the beauty of Scotland and share with you and others a little of the adventure I am on. In a year's time, I want to look back with you and see and hear, as well as read, about what happens next. I have no idea what that 'happening' will be but have no doubt that, condensed to documentary form, it should be pretty damned interesting. I will continue to write, to explore the setting for my novels, to edit and complete Dreamwords and to deal with the harsh realities of publishing from a tent.

For the next week, as I await delivery of equipment, I will stay with family. I then need to take some time to learn the basics of making a documentary on a zero budget and with limited resources. This should not take long – I will make my mistakes and learn as I go. I am excited in having a new challenge, particularly one that fits so well with what I am already doing and compliments my writing.

Life is good.

The Office

2008-05-31T15:49:00.000-07:00

I write this blog entry from my tent in the Scottish Highlands on a lovely sunny day. For the past three months I have been writing from Croatia and before that spent a wonderful three months getting to know a little of India's Mumbai. You might wonder how someone can manage such a life while living on a tiny budget. The easy answer is that I am lucky to have good friends and family but the more interesting one is that, once you shake the mundane expectations of society, once you free yourself from the burden of insurance, it is incredible how little you need to be happy. With 40% of Britons proclaiming dissatisfaction with their lives and work, there are millions of people who would benefit from really understanding that message. Many will have young children and other responsibilities that restrict their choices but even they could gain by refocusing on what is important.
To some, I have opted out of society but that is not true. A couple of years ago I was asked by Sky TV to take part in a documentary about people who had done just that. I declined, explaining that that is not what I had done. I simply took my ambitions and shaped them to my skills and means. Technically, I am unemployed and homeless but this simple definition belies the truth. I probably work harder than many people in so-called gainful employment. I write almost every day. I continue with the Dreamwords series. The current novel is at 700 pages as I try to edit it down to size. True, I write this entry from a tent because I cannot afford a home, but I could get state help and chose not to do so. I have a modest income that just supports what I do and allows me the freedom to work for tomorrow and live for today.
Such a life is not for most and I would not encourage dissatisfied workers to run away from home and live on the streets. My story makes my solution work for me but, for each person, the exercise of taking inventory, of sloughing physical and unnecessary baggage in order to get a life, of examining what you (and your loved ones if appropriate) really need, is one we should all undertake every now and then. When you include tax, the expensive home near work, the extra clothes you have to buy, the extra car, fuel or public transport to and from work, the cost of treats to de-stress yourself, the desperate annual holiday, the expense of after-work drinks or gym membership - when every item is included in the inventory, you will be amazed at how much you are spending simply to fuel the work you are so dissatisfied with. I live well and happily on a pittance and yet used to struggle on a healthy salary. This is not a spiritual thing, a life of self-denial. Someday I hope to earn enough by writing to afford a house again. I would love to send my son a ticket to join me in a nice hotel somewhere. The truth is that, in my other life, I was too busy, too stressed, too focused on other people's priorities to do what I knew I should. Either by personal mismanagement or poor focus, I was easily one of those 40%. Now I am not.

As a novelist, I have never felt the need to update this blog regularly. Practicalities made it difficult and, in any case, it would have been boring. I doubt if many people would be interested to hear that I sat alone and created two pages on a Tuesday and then rewrote one of them on the Wednesday - on and on for years. Writers, by the nature of their self-imposed isolation, are not always the most interesting of people - in a day-to-day journal sense at least. However, I now have the perfect technological set-up. Most of my power problems are resolved to the point that I am geared to keep writing for the five month period ahead, directly from my tent. I may have to climb a mountain on occasion to get a signal, but I should be able to increase my blog posts during this time to explain what I am doing, where and why.
I hope, in this way, to open a door on a world that is normally closed to the rest of you living in Normal-Land. With luck, I will inspire some to wonder what they could do to change their lives for the better.
In the process, I will explain what equipment I use, how I write without mains electricity in a country not known for its solar gift to the nation, how I maintain a net connection, two mobile phones, music and even watch the occasional movie, how I defeat loneliness, overcome inertia, stay positive and healthy, keep up with the news, remain engaged with the rest of the world - in short, how I survive and thrive in the most incredible office in the world. I am sometimes asked the question: How can you spoil your enjoyment of such a place by polluting it with electronics? This is the wrong question. Technology allows me to work anywhere, so why would I choose a bland, expensive box in an uninspiring setting when I can be here?

Of course, all of this assumes I do not fall and break a leg, drown while crossing a river or perish in one of the violent storms sure to come my way. But, hey, there is a price for everything.

The photo is taken of and from my mobile office.

Welcome to my world.

Dreamwords II

2008-01-29T02:39:00.000-08:00

Writing novels is a slow and solitary process. Last May, I finished what I’d planned for Dreamwords and then set off for London to join the real world for the summer. The idea was to eventually return to the book with a fresh eye and polish it to the point where I would be happy to approach agents. Everything is now as it should be except for one tiny detail. The story does not want to end. Publishers are wary of new authors and pitching a hefty tome at them is not usually a good idea. The dilemma is this: an artificial ending (with promise of the next book to come) or continue until the story is complete?

Tom Corven was a scratch on the surface of a large world that roamed my imagination. With Dreamwords, that world is being realized. I enjoy creating it but worry about its length. I really have no choice but to continue writing what would have been Book Two in the hope that I discover a natural break before it’s complete. To that end, I now return to Croatia to isolate myself for three months of intense work. In an ideal world I will emerge with the ending that Dreamwords requires and the first draft of Book Two. I do hope so. I do not wish to break some poor postman’s back with a manuscript that bounces on and off an agent’s desk with the force of a dam-busting bomb.

Every now and then, I am tempted to podcast what I have done with Dreamwords. I love the immediacy of the medium and the connection it fosters with its listeners. The publishing world is changing and podcasting will pay a small role in shaping that change. A more significant vector, however, will be the Amazon Kindle and perhaps derivatives born from the new screen designed by the One Laptop per Child Foundation. I am convinced that booklovers will discover that the book they love is in its content and not the form it takes. Once a large proportion of readers become digital, all the problems of the music business will fall on the shoulders of the publishing world.

There are some signs that publishers are engaging with this issue and I hope they have some success. Many unknown writers pray for the day that their genius will be discovered despite those big, bad suits who are blind to all but the bottom line. I agree that changes are needed but I can also tell you that the overheads of self-publicity and the business of publishing carry a high price. Not only do they take the author away from his or her real work but also the qualities that allow someone to bury themselves away in their dreams for months and years at a time are often at odds with the business of selling books.

As I watch and try to steer the wave of change sweeping all of us involved with selling dreams, my hopes for the future are maturing. With any luck we will see publishers adapting to a new role. What we need is an automated social site where readers push their favorite new writers into the view of publishers. Publishers then skim off the top layer and take the promotion and business burden from the artists’ shoulders. In this scenario, publisher and agent merge and the business slims down. This may take ten years or more but change will come. There is a great opportunity waiting for those holding the reigns right now. The savvy players will make this happen before it happens to them.

Being Ugly, Lazy and Unsociable

2007-03-11T05:14:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I am just reconnecting to the web for a couple of days to let people know that I have not disappeared from the face of the Earth.

First I’d like to welcome Liz as another Friend of TC.

I’m sure you’re all wondering what I’ve been up to. I would need to write a book about it to do the story justice and perhaps one day I will. However, until then, here is a brief summary that omits much of the juicy details, but at least gives you an idea of where I am going and what I’ve been doing.

After finishing Tom Corven, and in particular throughout last year, I found the publicity drive and my natural tendency to obsessive research, led me to a period of low output (as far as my writing was concerned.) I’m not sorry about this because life has many dimensions and writing is simply one of them. However, Dreamwords was burning away inside me and I knew I had to do something drastic to feed the creative genie that got things done.

Over the last few months, I lived in Spain for a while and then returned to Croatia. I did this thinking that going to a country where I knew no one would remove any social excuse I might invent for my lack of progress. Nothing is wasted in a writer’s life and the adventure I had there is definitely one for a future book. As an example of this, I was in the mountains and was bitten in the face about 50 times by mosquitoes. I had a huge reaction and spent a couple of weeks looking like I had been in a violent fight. Since my Spanish is virtually non-existent, it was pretty tough to get by socially and for a while I felt completely isolated. (Walking along the road I would see people recoil as they saw me). This sensation is a rare insight into an area I hope most of us do not experience. It was so profound that I changed the main character in Dreamwords to take advantage of the feelings that accompanied that period. Once the swelling went down, my time in Spain was great, but it was expensive and no more productive than Croatia.

After Spain, a friend offered me his apartment in Croatia while he was in the UK for a month. I returned to Split and knew immediately it was where I should be. It was like coming home.

When I resigned my commission to write, it was with the clear intention of turning a safe life into one of risk and adventure. I expected so many problems and hoped for some success, but in reality, while it has been tough at times, I am continually surprised by the quality of life such a move has provided. It is rich and full of friends I would never have met if I’d taken the red pill.

This was once again demonstrated by the friend mentioned above (Giles) and another group I met out here (Angus and Tina, Mark and Katie) who offered me their beautiful house for a few months. Surrounded by forest, as I write this, I am looking out over the trees to the Adriatic and the Island of Hvar. Isolated in a remote part of the Island of Brac, I have found the magic formula for productivity. No TV, no web, no email, no newspapers, no neighbours, no restaurants, no bars. I have no excuses left and do not feel that I need them. Prevarication is gone and Dreamwords is sparking from my fingers and onto the keyboard in a storm of creativity. In the end, I started from page one again and now, after only two months, the novel already exceeds the length of Tom Corven. I have no doubt whatsoever that it will be complete by the end of April. From there I will spend the next couple of months making it the best I can by rewrites, reviews and edits.

The web is such a fantastic tool, but it can sap you dry if you let it. For this reason, I will continue to keep my distance until I’ve finished the first draft and have something to offer my readers for their patience. From then on I’ll parcel off a few months each year to break the back of each subsequent book and engage more fully with my friends out there for the rest of the time.

As I’ve said before, I appreciate your interest in reading this and suggest that the best way to receive updates is by signing up to the newsletter. I always welcome emails and will do my best to answer them each time I hit the web café in Split. If you don’t hear from me, please be patient, I’m probably in a dream in some remote place having the time of my life.

Everything I’ve learned in the past fifteen years of writing is going into the creation of Dreamwords. While TC was written and recorded live without editing, years of thought coupled with multiple writes and rewrites will have gone into its successor. I’m really excited by the project and have set myself the challenge of getting the novel to a mass-market – and, with that in mind, I must back off from the web again and get back to work.

Sunny Spain

2006-11-15T04:19:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks, I have been bowled over by making another couple of sales; welcome to Tina and Angus and also to Ventsislav.

Spain is pretty fine although, since I´ve somehow ended up in Torremolinos, it's a little too touristy for my taste. My fault I know but at least I'm finding lots of time to write.

There are very few things that would entice me away from Dreamwords at the moment. It feels right and when the flow is on, you just want to be left in peace to work it. However there are other things in life and as a writer it's important not to become too isolated. I have been quite fascinated by what's going on with a small company called Steorn, in Ireland. By all accounts they make claims that the scientist in me wants to slap away and say 'don't be stupid' but the optimist in me is hooked into watching them a little closer than I would otherwise think sensible.

Despite my reservations I wonder that there may be something important going on here - either that or I´m going to have more egg on my face than the last time I was duped into believing in little green men. (This was around 30 years ago when I was hooked by Erich von Däniken who made all sorts of wild claims that turned out to be nonsense. Since then I´ve always been a sceptic. I have a disinclination to 'believe' unless I can see, touch and measure something for myself).

Anyway, have a look for yourself. They are at www.steorn.com

Whether true or not, I now have their device in Dreamwords. In SF when a new energy force is discovered, it tends to revolve around some exotic material which is used as fuel. Without giving too much away there are elements in Dreamwords that involve a mix of the old and the new. Having what sounds like a simple device that can give us limitless energy is something that is a gift to fiction even if it turns out not to be in fact.

For my part, I intend to look at this thing a little closer. I'm off to a party in Dublin organised by the company. I'll keep you posted.

Paul

An Update

2006-09-09T02:58:00.000-07:00

As an element in the process of capturing the public imagination, the Special Edition has been a great experience and success. I say this despite the fact that, so far, I have only sold 14 copies. Ask any unpublished author whether they think they could sell 14 of their unknown novels for $500 each and I think we can guess the answer. Still, the reality of the situation is that I have a choice between continuing with this or moving on with my new idea. For my backers, I would say that the best thing to do is take the route most likely to work. Although I am still open to working with publishers and agents, my fundamental trust lies with the public and I continue to look for ways to engage directly with people. I have no illusions about how difficult this will be. But....

I love challenges.

For those who have and continue to support me, I thank you and will try my best to deserve it. For all my backers, no matter what happens, you will always have the right to complete the purchase even if I make it by another route and the transaction becomes a one-way deal in your favour. I will not grudge a penny.

I am in the full swing of writing Dreamwords and will probably have my head down for a while, but will still post here when I think I have something to say that you might want to hear.

The best way to learn what is going on is by registering for the newsletter. That way, you don't have to check the blog for irregular updates.

Thanks, as always,

Paul

Moving On

2006-07-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

That was an amazing experience. I am on the move again after spending around 2 months sleeping in the hills around Edinburgh. I am fitter than I was and Dreamwords, I hope, has gained a greater sense of place than it may have had if I had relied solely on my memory as a Glaswegian visitor. I can easily draw a picture in my mind of my Edinburgh of 1,000 years in the future and I can see the characters in the novel journey through the landscape - living their extraordinary lives to the full.
Although June was one of the wettest in many years, I had some great nights under the stars and many sun-filled days. When I slept in the Pentlands, it took me roughly 2hrs 30 minutes and 1,000 ft of climbing to get to bed and about 2 hours to get back into the city centre and breakfast in the morning.
As I search for an agent, it is time to place myself in a situation where I can live well among friends and write with ease.I have no idea how long I'll stay this time, but I am ready to return to Croatia and the next stage of this journey. I will visit Split in a little over a week, wary of expecting too much, but looking forward to seeing a few of the wonderful people I met there over the past year. I will write and, if I can figure a way around my limited voice-acting skills, I may even podcast 10 Downing St as I do so.To everyone I've met on my travels, to every friend I've made, to those who have written to thank and encourage me, to those who put their faith in me by investing their cash in my future, I want you all to know that I am forever grateful. I will do everything in my power to succeed and repay that faith and to deserve your friendship.

Agents and Vagrants

2006-06-09T06:17:00.000-07:00

Well, the last week has been brilliant here in Edinburgh. The sun has shone on the city and I am at ease with being a vagrant. OK, strike that. It's one of the things I take great care to ensure does not happen. In fact I got a little annoyed with myself the other day. Let me explain:

I had just slept the night in the Pentland hills; a couple of hours walk from the city centre. On my way back in, loaded up with a heavy rucksack, clopping mountain boots and too much easy-living in Croatia around my waist, a young, well-dressed, man asked me if he could have a pound (almost $2US) for the bus, since he'd lost his wallet. Taken by his appearance, I gave him the money and then belatedly asked where he was going. "Oxgang," he replied. I had just walked through there and did not take the bus, because I felt I could do with the exercise and in my current state, could not justify the spend. Turns out that I was walking about 4 times his distance and I realised that I should have told him to take a hike. I can't help but look at all these people begging on the streets of Britain and being slightly annoyed when we allow ourselves to be bullied into feeling sorry for them. I can testify to the fact that you do not need much money to get by and while they are sitting on the streets trying to look mournful, they are not in the library (warm and dry), or elsewhere, doing something to better themselves. This, for those that are able, stops them developing a positive strategy that might put them in charge of their own future.

I know that this is a little simplistic, but I vow never to give in to someone begging for money on the streets. If they are hungry they will accept a bite to eat. If they are cold, they'll go to a hostel (In the UK, at least, we do have options). If they make a lifestyle choice to live like they do, then that is OK too - but you should not feel guilty for walking to work without funding that choice. To be truthful, I quite admire some of those who step beyond their comfort zones to live like this, but that's not the point. If we could somehow figure out who among them is genuine, then that is different, but we should not let our own moral cowardice force our hands into our pockets, just to ease our guilt. That is the problem, not the solution.

Last night I proved to myself that I can sleep for over eight hours without a tent or any other roof over my head - as long as it's not raining. The hill was misty when I climbed to bed and it reminded me of an old black and white movie, where I should expect werewolves to stalk me from the bushes. But I slept like a baby.

After all this time, I have now sent my first request (since selling shares in my work) to an agent. Using 10 Downing St as the sample, I am realistic about the chances of hitting it right first time (there are apparently 6 million manuscripts out there) but after writing the first (and, so far, the only) letter, I am convinced that I have never been in a better position to try.

Interesting article in today's Times (of London). This is a project I am getting involved in because the subject fascinates me and I might just learn something that can go into my writing.

'Till next time....

Piper at the Gates of Dawn

2006-05-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I’m dried off now and rested after staying in a real house for a week while my sister was on holiday. Tomorrow, I head back to Edinburgh for another dousing. While the weather has been particularly Scottish recently, I can’t really complain because sleeping on Arthur’s Seat was a fantastic experience and I managed to get a lot of work done. It was pretty surreal, climbing the stone stairs to bed as others in the city climbed their own sets to do the same in their homes.
Each night I move to a different location to keep a low profile. On one of those nights I slept just below the summit and scared a poor young woman to death as she stuck her head up over this lip in the dark to suddenly see a large green slug rise before her eyes. She screamed! Later, past midnight, a crowd of Americans (around 10) hollered just above my head and blew trumpets ‘cause they could – totally unaware that I was feet away from them. Not great for sleeping, but it was funny. Later, around 4 am, a lone piper stood on the top and practised in my ear, thinking he had the place to himself. I really enjoyed it.
On another night, it was raining lightly and only my eyes showed through a slit in my bag. Although dark, the city reflected red from the low cloud and I could see anything flying in the air silhouetted against it. Just as I was falling off to sleep a bird swooped down and then hovered again, right above my head. It was an owl. Suddenly it dropped and stretched its talons towards my eyes. The hair on the back of my neck prickled and I moved slightly. Just as quickly, with the bird only around 10 feet from its ‘kill’, it peeled off to the side and disappeared, probably as taken with the experience as I was, but too hungry to enjoy it as much as me.
I hope that TC will be included in a programme on Radio Scotland tomorrow evening. The presenter, Muriel Gray, is an icon over here – quite wacky in a good way. Fingers crossed. I also had a photographer from the Times here a couple of days ago and there should be a piece in T2 this week or next about something else I’m involved with (called Utopia). Although not related to my writing, the profile should still offer some exposure. When I get some time, I’ll write something up on the project – it’s pretty fascinating and I’m privileged to be involved.
Tough as the route I’ve taken is, I’m really quite enjoying it and there seems to be a genuine public interest in what I’m doing. I’ve discovered though that without support backing me up, publicity will be won only with hard work and time. I have to contact and talk to people on a one-to-one basis – press releases from an unknown are not magic bullets that allow you to dodge that hard fact. The good news is that I appear to be quite successful with the direct approach. This is no problem as I enjoy the challenge. However I have a commitment to meet to those of you who have shown your faith in me. I’ve therefore decided to approach agents in the hope that they will recognise the commitment I’m making and take a cue from you guys to consider my work for representation. Again, as anyone who has ever tried to get an agent will tell you, I do not expect this to happen overnight, but I’m sure it’s the right thing to do. Wish me luck.

BBC, The Castle and The Future

2006-05-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

When I was camping on Arran, power was precious and I used my mp3/radio with care (a solar panel and Scotland can be a hit-and-miss mix) . One of the things I listened to regularly was the Fred MacAullay show on BBC radio, so I was thrilled to be interviewed by him on Wednesday. As far as I can tell, the slot went well - I enjoyed it anyway. I'm a little out of the technological loop at the moment (using a public library in Edinburgh) but will post the recording when I can.

Being in Edinburgh is amazing. I spent all of Friday in the castle - an important part of the setting for Dreamwords. It really is an awesome place and I hope I can do it justice in the book. Over the years, being from the 'other side' (Glasgow) I've enjoyed the capital city with the knowledge that we Westies are far superior. Hmm. Now, sitting in Princes St. Gardens or on Calton Hill, Salisbury Crags or Arthur's Seat, writing and immersing myself in the world that is Edinburgh, I have a whole new appreciation for the place. Just don't tell anyone from Edinburgh that I've said that!

Now that I'm due to move on I've decided to try a little experiment. Just being here has generated a whole new dimension to the novel and I have got to squeeze every drop from the experience that I can. So, I am going to get the city under my skin. I'm going to see it in the rain, feel the wind, the cold, bask in the sun, see the city lights at four in the morning. I'm going to understand the place - good and bad - as much as any outsider can. One of the great things about Edinburgh is that there are hills right inside the city. OK, they're only a few hundred feet high, but that's fine. I understand hills. To get the pulse of this amazing place, I am going to live here for a while; sleeping rough, bivouac wherever I can, to keep me connected 24/7. One of the fun things about Dreamwords is that I get to look into the future. I get to deconstruct the city and rebuild it as it might be in the year 2999. Getting to know the place in this way, I hope will help me visualize the dream and make it real for others.
At my age, you'd think I'd know better, but if I'm to do the best job I can and take the reader with me on this adventure, then I have to give it a shot. Wish me luck!

Edinburgh and Dreamwords

2006-04-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

I got a wonderful call a few days ago from Scots-born American, Bruce. He'd read on this blog that I was in the UK and hopping from place to place. He wanted to offer the use of his Edinburgh apartment to allow me the opportunity to research the next book. This is such a generous gesture that I needed to thank him publicly and put on record the contribution he's made to make this whole thing happen. It's extremely trusting of him to do such a thing as I will be there unsupervised (I promise not to redecorate Bruce!). I should be there next week where I can rise early, walk the castle and city, take photographs and notes, soak up the atmosphere and populate the town with the characters screaming to get out of my head.

We have another member of the family. Welcome aboard, Paul.

As I write this, I am a couple of hours away from a radio interview. Really looking forward to it as it's a forward-looking college station, broadcasting to the wider region of Wolverhampton in England.

Yesterday was an important day. I started Dreamwords - Again! OK, so I've already written 50K words but, sitting on a concrete block overlooking the sea and a distant Arran, I started from scratch. As soon as I did, I knew it was right. It feels good and I love the novel already. It's been a while since I've been so excited about starting something new (well, since TC actually) but what a buzz. This is going to be something special, I hope, because it incorporates some ideas I've not seen elsewhere. If I get it right, I think TC fans will love it and a whole new audience may find its way to the series. That's the cunning plan anyway.

PR and Real Life

2006-04-19T01:30:00.000-07:00

Not sure exactly what it means in the real world but I put out a press release before the weekend holiday and it has now had 98,647 reads. It’s times like this that I wish I could afford a publicist but then if I could; this would be someone else’s story and not mine. It seems crazy at times to consider that I’m sleeping from place to place, unable to afford a proper base and at the same time, Tom Corven continues to cost me a fortune to give away. At least, in selling the Special Edition, I can now call myself a professional writer. This is a landmark for my transition to legitimate published author and I’m thrilled to be where I am now.
Every now and then, I have to check myself when it appears that things are moving at glacial speed. In reality, Tom’s story came to me 14 months ago while I was trapped in a tent on the side of Ben Lomond during a storm. Since then, the book has been written and thousands of people have enjoyed listening to it through a new medium that could be viewed as Dickensian storytelling for the 21st century. It has now been added to the British Library as its first podcast novel. It’s not every day I get to start a new category in such a bastion of the establishment and I am genuinely humbled and excited by the thought.
Jesper from Denmark emailed me last night to tell me that he’s enjoying TC and asked if I was really living in a tent. Since this is not the first time I’ve been asked that recently, it’s probably worth repeating the answer here:
Over the past six months, I camped in a friend’s empty apartment in Split, Croatia. I use the word ‘camped’ deliberately because apart from an old sofa and some other junk, the place was bare – including the floorboards. My good friend Melanie from London allowed me to stay there while she organised a ‘rebuild’ and I am extremely grateful to her for doing so. Now, back in the UK, I am moving from place to place, approximately a week at a time, staying with friends and family around the country in order to spread the word.
I wrote most of 10 Downing St while in a tent on the Isle of Arran in Scotland and that avenue remains an option for the future. However, I don’t stay in a tent now and with any luck my journey back to living a normal life is well underway. When I resigned my commission in the air force, it was never to become a hermit living in the wilds. Yes I am extremely fortunate in being able to cope (and even thrive) by the challenges that come my way but the sacrifices are about taking responsibility for my own life - getting it to a position where I can do what I’m good at and makes me happy. It’s taken a lot of growing up to realise a simple truth that we should all follow if we can:
Find what you’re good at and do it. You will be happier, more productive, and a better person to be around. No matter what happens in the near or distant future, this, for me, is now a proven fact of life.

The following press release went out last night:

PaulStoryPressRelease.doc

Back in the UK

2006-04-09T03:34:00.000-07:00

Spreading The Word

Comfort zones are dangerous. Get comfortable – get lazy. So, Split is behind me for now. Leaving was more emotional than I could have imagined. It felt like leaving family. It seems that emotional ties can creep up unawares and bite you when you’re not looking.
Now I concentrate on spreading the word.
I write this entry from Scotland, a short distance from Arran and home to Tom Corven. Over the past few days I’ve had to reorganise my life and prepare for the changes ahead. Everything must revolve around the Tom Corven project. Since I started this, I’ve become increasingly encouraged by the fantastic response from everyone who hears of it. Trying something new is a challenge and I love challenges. With the road ahead less travelled however, planning has to be dynamic and execution flexible. The press release goes out soon and what I do in the next few weeks will depend on the response the project attracts. I’ll keep my fingers crossed and continue to plan alternative routes to spreading the word. This includes a tour of the UK, talking to librarians, writers and readers and handing out leaflets outside book stores in the major towns and cities around the country. I welcome ideas from anyone and if there are groups out there who would like me to talk about the project or about technology for 21st century publishing, I’d be happy to do so.

I received an email from another Paul last night who has listened up to Chapter 38 of the podcast, loves it and is likely to join us – assuming I provide an alternative to Paypal. This is the third request for such a facility, so I guess it now must become a priority.
Thanks to everyone for your support.

Leaving Split

2006-04-03T03:44:00.000-07:00

This is it. My last day in Split. In a few hours time, I catch an overnight bus to Trieste and then a flight to London and then Glasgow. While I'm looking forward to what's ahead, I will miss everyone here terribly. The city has an edge to it and the friends I've met are just amazing people. If any of you are reading this, thank you so much for everything. Hopefully, we'll meet again.

Another edit under my belt and the updated book is available in the store. It's quite interesting to note that some of the language that seems to work when spoken is too pretentious or busy when read from print and gets in the way of the story. The language is simpler now and I will continue to pare it down in the coming weeks.

Another few sales over the past couple of days. Two of them were from my editors; people who have been kind enough to rip me to pieces over some of the slack passages spread throughout the books. Kari Kilgore is going through 10 Downing St with a whipping pen as I write this and my friend in Split, Maria has taken Tom Corven to task. Both books are much better for it. Given their intimate knowledge of the novels, I am thrilled that they have both, independently, come into the fold – Kari with her mother, Jean dedicating the entry to her gran and Maria with her husband, Steve. In their case, I was presented with a 100 Euro note from their daughter Matilda at dinner last night. The pressure's on. I can't fail such faith and support. With another of Tom's fans, Brian joining us, we are now up to $6,500.

Friday night saw a surprise party at Cafe Libar, organised by Giles and the owner, Kristjan. Awesome night and it seems unreal that I'm going to leave all this behind for the unknown road ahead once more. Thanks guys, I really appreciate everything you've done for me.

And finally, the first radio interview of this phase is now behind me. I think it went well. Stephen, the show's host, prepared me well and the whole affair lasted around 35 minutes. I've cut it down somewhat and, if you're interested, you can find it here.

Tom Goes Live!

2006-03-30T03:44:00.000-08:00

The soft-launch is now over and the Tom Corven Project will make its way into the world!
In preparing to leave Croatia, I have been asked to appear on an English-speaking radio show tonight. Excellent practice for the big push in the coming weeks.
The plan is flexible, but will entail a week's preparation - printing leaflets and distributing them outside book stores and libraries from town to town and city to city around the country. Not only will this spread the word about the project, and hopefully build momentum, it should give the books a small edge when they eventually appear in stores.
A good friend, John Simnett - one of many I've made in Split - has offered to be my base-man while touring the UK. This is great news. I know he is extremely enthusiastic about what I'm doing and he loved the story so much that he is one of 3 over here who have bought an SE. Better still, he is a successful entrepreneur and adventurer and a genuinely nice guy. I couldn't have asked for a greater start and I'm now itching to get over to the UK to push on.
On the sales side, we now have 10 SE orders - $5,000.
One of those sales came from Aaron who, for some reason, unknown to him, decided to visit the dreamwords site after listening to the cast 8 months ago! He saw the project through a quirk of fate and immediately jumped in.
Another sale came from a fellow writer and fan of TC, who spent three years holed up in a very basic cottage in Ireland; writing a novel with the encouragement of a leading London agent. When he finished, the said agent was too busy to read it! Unfortunately, we hear so many of these stories and this one is a good example that illustrates why I'm reluctant to tread the traditional route to finding a publisher.
I've got a small and very strange problem regarding reviews - one that I'm really pleased to have. Anyone who mails to tell me that they loved TC, I now ask if they would consider posting a review. This has been so successful that there are eight fantastic and honest reviews at the store in Lulu. Outstanding! But I wonder how many people will think I've got my friends to fake them. In fact the only one of those 8, I've met before is my friend John mentioned above. I must stop tempting fate and enjoy it while I can. You can read the reviews here

Thank you to everyone for your encouragement and support.

Mail problems

2006-03-29T05:19:00.000-08:00

Hi all. I was preparing the next instalment of this blog when I realised that my mailbox has been unusually quiet and, subsequently, that it is down. Until my service provider sorts it out, you can contact me at dreamwords.com@gmail.com
Please write again - I am not just ignoring you. Thankfully this has happened just before I issued a press release. And in my last blog I sang the praises of technology. Oh well.

We're Rolling

2006-03-23T02:15:00.000-08:00

It's now been a few days since I soft-launched this project, mailing a few friends and family to gauge reaction and catch any silly errors that could leave me embarrassed. I knew that there was a possibility that I would get one or two deciding to chip in to support me, but I'm blown away by having three friends and two family members take the plunge. Thanks to everyone and I appreciate the kind remarks.
While in stealth mode, I did not expect members of the public to come forward, but I was wrong. A few people have started signing up for the newsletter and (I did not expect this so soon) one gentleman has jumped on board and has decided to order a Special Edition. The story leading to this is interesting. After visiting the site and downloading the audio book (podcast), he subsequently listened to it while sitting on an aircraft or two. He enjoyed Tom's tale so much that he returned to the site to see if he could leave a donation, but found it totally changed. What really excites me, however, is that on making the decision to buy the SE, he has done so for his two daughters. That is such a wonderful thing to do and I could not have wished for a better start. Thanks Bruce.
Total orders for the SE is 6 - equating to $3,000.
With a lot of help from friends, I continue to edit both books, while preparing for my return to the UK. Yesterday saw around 7 hours on an edit session, cutting some of the fluff that tends to creep into one's work (the material that the author often mistakes for clever writing). I wish I could place one of my favourite quotes. To paraphrase:

When editing one's prose, read the manuscript, carefully highlighting everything you are proud of. When complete, go back and delete them all.

Another; on handing over a manuscript:

I'm sorry the work is not shorter, but I ran out of time.

I also added an extract from Dreamwords (the book that follow's Tom's story) to Tom Corven. The feedback on this has been great, so far.

Technology has moved on so fast that I finished the edit at one o-clock this morning, slept, and at nine o-clock uploaded the new version. At that instant, the new book became the one available to the public when buying the paperback online.

Amazing!

Here We Go!

2006-03-17T00:41:00.000-08:00

Writers are idea merchants. Sometimes the ideas are their own, often interpretations of others', and at their best, a distillation of the world, reworked to present a viewpoint that is fresh, exciting and enlightening. I love ideas, and living, as we do, in this age of information, feel privileged to be on the edge of a technological shift as fundamental as anything in human history. The word, novel conjures an impression of novelty, ingenuity and excitement, however, novelists normally confine their inventions to the story in their head. But here we are, in this amazing time and I do not want to stand on the sidelines with my 'pen'.
Talk to anyone in the business of writing and they will tell you that self-publishing is a low volume affair. They are right. That is the norm and for many books, the ability to target niche markets, is the single best reason to go this route. For mass-market fiction, according to common wisdom, you are a fool if you think you can sell your work in numbers that matter. If you try this, it is because you are deluded or have been rejected by every traditional publisher; leaving you no other choice.
I am going to break that notion.
With that statement, I invite you to decide whether I am an arrogant fool or someone who has genuine reason to believe that the time is right, the tools are here and that I can see a clear route to make this happen. A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to have a high quality agent read a sample of the novel, 10 Downing St. I have every faith in this person - she was a courteous professional taking an interest in my work. However, some time ago I decided not to present my latest project, Tom Corven, to publishers and realised that this clashed with my request for an agent to represent the previous one. The agent/author relationship concerns more than a single manuscript. What to do with TC? was a question that drew ever closer. I made a decision and wrote, thanking her for her interest and withdrew the submission. Consequently I can say with all honesty that I am doing this as a first resort, not a last one. Tom Corven has not been submitted to anyone. I do not need permission to publish. No-one does.
This is not a juvenile stance against the publishing industry but a determination to take responsibility for my own future. I have no doubt that, given the right deal, I would be overjoyed to work with industry professionals. My primary concern at this time is the selection process.
But what about the outrageous statement that I will reach a mass market, even on my own? I cannot reveal everything in this or subsequent posts but you can buy an appraisal copy of Tom Corven and 10 Downing St and decide for yourself whether this is bluster or I really do have something quite special up my sleeve that allows me to say with complete confidence and honesty that:
My work, in the coming years, will reach a mass market. Those backing me now will look back at the naysayers as they scrabble to catch up. They will know that they saw the future and became part of it; made it happen. The healthy bank balance will be nice too.
You may read more at my site, Dreamwords. The following page summarises the project... Or, at least, as much of it as I can reveal at this stage.