Hello, chums.
I recently met a bunch
of new people and once they found out I was a writer, they asked
“Have you written anything I'd have heard of?”
How the hell do you
respond to this?
I've been asked
variations of this over the last few years, and I typically end up
trying to explain that yes, I am published, no I'm not
self-published, yes the books I'm in are widely available, no they're
not my books they're anthologies...but I have compiled and edited
anthologies and novels. Yes, these are widely available, no you
probably haven't heard of the writers/publishers unless you run in
those circles. Every conversation ends the same, where I relent to
succinct self-promotion and tell them to “Google Wayne Goodchild. I
should be the top result, or near the top.”
Likewise, if people
ever ask me if I've written/published a novel, I say no, because
although I've written a full one (that I shop around every so often
and have received legitimate decent feedback on) and I'm actively
working on another, the fact remains absolutely anyone in the world
can and probably has at some point 'worked on a novel'. You don't
need to be an actual writer to have written one. I know a few people
who think of themselves as writers (or used to) without ever actually
getting published. It's like saying you're an artist but never
showing anyone your paintings – maybe you're really good, but if
you don't do anything with your work, you're just full of hot air.
Speaking of hot air,
I've run out of steam (ooo, nice segue!) in recent years regarding
writing. I started taking it seriously in the first place because I
found myself unemployed and with a ton of time on my hands. I chose
to make productive use of this time by hammering away at stories to,
hopefully, sell. Now, six years later I have a sizeable number of
publication credits under my belt and, although I won't feel like it
until I've had either my own work published or paid pro rates, I'm a
professional writer. NAME DROP ALERT: when I attended the book
signing for Phobophobia in London at the end of 2011, I told Jonathan
Green I didn't feel like a professional writer and couldn't believe
my luck that I was in a book alongside such writers as himself, Simon
Kurt Unsworth and William Meikle. Jonathan very kindly pointed out
that they're classed as professional writers, so if I'm in a book with
them, it stands to reason I must be too.
Anyway, I've always had
a fear of losing momentum. And I have/did. In communication with
other writers, I know this is a common occurrence, and it has less to
do with writers block and more to do with life getting in the way.
I'm unemployed again and close to getting married, and at this moment
in time have no idea what country I'll be living in by the end of
this year, so naturally my focus is all shot to pieces. However, I'm
taking great pains to use my free time and channel recent
experiences/problems into writing. It is and always has been a very
cathartic experience for me, as I'm sure it is for other
writers/artists/etc. I've always maintained that if I can't create
I'll die, metaphysically speaking. It's why you'll likely never find
me in an office job (if I can help it).
So what ARE you working
on, Wayne? Well, I'm glad you asked. Two main things, right now: an
ostensibly 'sci-fi' novel that is actually every single genre at once
and a 'sci-fi' novella that starts as an absurd satire before
morphing into something a hell of a lot more sinister. The novel is
some way references pretty much everything I've had published before,
and the novella will be the final story in a short story collection.
This collection could be my first attempt at dipping my toes in the
murky waters of self-publishing, but only because most of the stories
have been previously/legitimately published (by independent presses
that have unfortunately folded). All the stories will be in some way
tweaked and likely bookended by a few brand new ones. It'll also be
presented chronologically, with stories starting in the 1860s and
ending in the latter half of this century. Someone pointed out to me
that my 'speciality' seems to be 'small town horror', plus
unrelentingly bleak endings. The collection will have both of these
in abundance. Yippee!
