I have always been interested in that period of Scottish history. its rich and varied. I feel that not enough people look at it from a creative point of view, but they should because the stories are exceptional.
Thank you for reading my work.
The main character, Robin, is based on my wife. Mac is purely a figment of my imagination, he wants atone for his inaction and when he is given the chance to step up he grabs it with both hands. The other secondary characters are based on different people from my life. each one has traits borrowed from friends and colleagues.
Seeing my work on a book shelf, or in someones hand. Knowing that someone somewhere has taken the time to sit down and read my work is success in my book.
The act of self publishing took a bit of luster off the achievement of finishing the book. Perhaps I'm too much of a traditionalist but I would have preferred to have had a publisher do it for me. I want to simply write, not to spend time touting for business.
Todays generation is ignorant of anything of any real worth. Their entire world view is condensed in to a screen that 3.5 inches by 7 inches. They have no concept of struggles of the creative process of writing or putting in hours of real sustained effort for no reward.
For many writers, the act of writing is reward enough, while for others seeing their finished work on the shelf is all the reward they need. today's generation craves instant reward and celebrity for everything they do.
The book would be the Machine Gunners, this was my favourite when I was growing up.
I would have loved to have written this, because its so vivid and real.
Writers block is lack of motivation.
The problem is how to sustain the motivation over a prolonged period of months, the repetitive nature of typing can become tiresome. However if the story is strong enough it should sustain you during the times when it gets difficult.
The lack of proper feedback from publishers and agents.
I'm sure we have all had the standard 'Its not for us' response to a submission. Ok , but why is it not for you? you're basing the entire rejection on three chapters, so explain what it is about these three chapters that is turning you off to our work.
Reading is the single most important skill that a writer should possess. Read everything you can get your hands on so that you can build your own style. The other important thing is world building, too many good stories fall down because the world they are set in is ignored. It should be considered a separate character because it is just as important. How would Lord of the Rings be without the detail that Tolkien gave to middle earth? Would Harry Potter have been as popular if JK Rowling didn't paint the wizarding would so vividly? Take the time to create the world your story lives in, and it will pay off big for you.
