When your first novel comes out and the editor asks, "And send me the acknowledgements" my first instinct was to ask - how long have you got? If I personally thanked everyone who helped in some shape or form, it would be longer than the novel.
Seriously.
From the guy who (foolishly) first leant me his PC, to all those on the On line writing workshop for science fiction and fantasy, to the lady in the library who requested my book. That would be hundreds.
To those who listen and put up with all my panic attacks, to the people who read...
Today's picture is a few years old and shows just three of my 'men'. Tom is now six foot, Makoiyi the wolfhound is eleven years old and Rich is no longer with us. My eldest son now lives in Malaysia and for some reason my husband is always behind the camera, the horse it out in the field and the cat is--wherever. All guys. Because a question I am often asked is why I write from a male perspective. The answer is simple. I am surrounded by testosterone and if I didn't learn to think like a guy then I would have been insane before now. But it is because of them and their support that I am able to write. How many times has 'mother' had her back to everything, trusting in those guys to do things when I am otherwise occupied? How many husbands put up with a wife who is 'somewhere else' in her head and conducting relationships with strangers on paper?
So when I say a novel doesn't write itself, what I mean is, there is an army of people behind it. And no matter whether you are writing purely for yourself or for an audience, that army has to battle with you through every word.
Most people don't do it for acknowledgement, I know that. They don't need their names emblazoned in the front of a book, but the point is, I do want to acknowledge them. Without their brainstorming, their expertise, their friendship, their love, I would never have written a word.
Seriously.
From the guy who (foolishly) first leant me his PC, to all those on the On line writing workshop for science fiction and fantasy, to the lady in the library who requested my book. That would be hundreds.
To those who listen and put up with all my panic attacks, to the people who read...
Today's picture is a few years old and shows just three of my 'men'. Tom is now six foot, Makoiyi the wolfhound is eleven years old and Rich is no longer with us. My eldest son now lives in Malaysia and for some reason my husband is always behind the camera, the horse it out in the field and the cat is--wherever. All guys. Because a question I am often asked is why I write from a male perspective. The answer is simple. I am surrounded by testosterone and if I didn't learn to think like a guy then I would have been insane before now. But it is because of them and their support that I am able to write. How many times has 'mother' had her back to everything, trusting in those guys to do things when I am otherwise occupied? How many husbands put up with a wife who is 'somewhere else' in her head and conducting relationships with strangers on paper?
So when I say a novel doesn't write itself, what I mean is, there is an army of people behind it. And no matter whether you are writing purely for yourself or for an audience, that army has to battle with you through every word.
Most people don't do it for acknowledgement, I know that. They don't need their names emblazoned in the front of a book, but the point is, I do want to acknowledge them. Without their brainstorming, their expertise, their friendship, their love, I would never have written a word.
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