Small, self-contained incidents [359]

An announcement...

Hello my favourite people.

I know I shouldn't have favourites. But I can't help but think this is a safe place, where I can share more than I can elsewhere. You have in some way committed to supporting my experiments. Either via funds, friendship, advice, giving me space in your day, or in some cases, all these things.

So here we go.

I'm writing a book. And I'm using this space to commit to writing a book.

This is a big deal for me as it's something I've wanted to do for more years that I can remember. Yet it's a mountain I can't see with no idea how high it might be.

Other things have held me back:

1. My D in English Lit

2. My made up spelling

3. My perceived lack of time

4. My inability to finish things

5. My terrible grasp of grammar

6. The fear of anything I publish being shit

I could go on.

“Everybody does have a book in them, but in most cases that's where it should stay.”
~ Christopher Hitchens

A lot of this could be down to lack of self belief. But each weekly email I write has chiselled away at that. Plus thanks to the support from people like you, I'm starting to feel like I can climb this mountain.

Some of you also know the process and paths I could take. Or agents and publishers. Or how to avoid them. Some reading this have actually been there and are already published authors.

If at this point you are wondering what my book will look like, I'm afraid I can't tell you. I'll have a better idea after I type up a stack of old travel journals and shovel stories into a big pile.

- A memoir? If so I'll need a lawyer before I go to print.

- A collection of short stories inspired by my travels? But how should I package that and would anyone care?

Until I get to actually writing, the final body of work is an unknown unknown. And in many ways this is exciting. As well as scary.

What do you think? Or know? Am I missing something obvious or over complicating things?

I would love to hear your thoughts, feelings, advice or experience of this. In an email, or if others would appreciate the information, in the comments on the online version of this.

Can you recommend any great memoirs or travel journels?

Either way, I hope you can join me for the ride. Or at the least bare with me as I work through this. I will do all I can to share my progress in the open. The more sensitive stuff and sneak peeks I will share with supporting subscribers.

I will be putting most of my other work on the back burner. So my apreciation to those who pay to recieve this email will no doubt grow.

Should you like to support my work the best way by far is to take out a paid subscription. Expect a back stage pass, writers notes and first dibs should anything tangable appear.

There will be weekly emails. Just not sure what they will look like.

Thanks for reading, and supporting.

Kindest,

Christian

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“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate and the governor is out of the country and there’s no chance for a pardon. Write like you’re clinging to the edge of a cliff, white knuckles, on your last breath, and you’ve got just one last thing to say, like you’re a bird flying over us and you can see everything, and please, for God’s sake, tell us something that will save us from ourselves. Take a deep breath and tell us your deepest, darkest secret, so we can wipe our brow and know that we’re not alone. Write like you have a message from the king. Or don’t. Who knows, maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have to.” ~ Alan Wilson Watts