Writing – How my writing continued.
Following the utter failure of my ambitious first book I found myself a teacher with a young family. Life was pretty full on. Particularly as I was determined to keep my creative urges satisfied, keep my social life, go to as many gigs as possible and find time for my writing.
This was not helped by moving out of London and up North to Hull. It was a new way of life and a new bunch of friends.
Life rapidly becomes a routine.
I had reasoned that I needed to structure my next book into a more orthodox narrative, develop characters and have a story. Rudimentary you might say. As I was a Sci-fi buff and had lots of ideas I married them together into a Sci-fi novel. It was an interesting venture. Writing a book in that way was a whole new ball-game. I had to hold it all in my head.
I would get up at seven thirty and do a days teaching, get home do my preparation and marking, play with the kids and get them to bed, watch a bit of TV or see a few friends, go to a gig every now and then, and try to fit everything in. At ten o clock I would usually start writing. I typed my stuff on an old Remington. I would be there writing until two or three in the morning. It would take me about four weeks to do a first draft. The ideas flowed and streamed through my head and on to the sheets. While I was writing I was consumed by it. At school in free periods and lunch I would be scribbling away. I’m sure there were even times in lessons when a thought, idea or bit of dialogue came into my head and demanded to be written down.
I could keep up the intensity and manage on four hours sleep a night for about four weeks. I would reach the last chapter with a weary mind and body. By then I was shot. I’d force myself to complete it and collapse.
After a brief period of weeks the next book would be crowding into my mind.
My second book was called ‘Pornographic Syndromes’. It was a Sci-fi book with a difference.
I sent it off and collected the rejection slips.