In the last decade, things have changed
dramatically in the writing and publishing business,
and will never be the same again. Anybody, perhaps
almost everybody nowadays with any kind of
computer seems to be having a go at it!
Nowadays then, to some agents and acquisition
editors, it must seem that there are far more writers
around today than there are readers. Why do they
do it? The irresistible lure of possibly doing another
Harry Potter?
Perhaps things have become an amateur's
dream of a preferable alternative to a normal
occupation? Maybe they’re making it an exercise in
self-fulfillment too, a way to express and analyze
their feelings about the world. Where they fear it's
going, and the urge to communicate about it to
anyone who’ll listen, or rather read. Could be!
Perhaps it’s a therapeutic exercise?
Well, there are easier ways to relieve one's
feelings of frustration when it comes to requiring
therapy.
Years ago, to become your own psychiatrist,
the minimum you needed was pencil and paper.
Nowadays, a personal laptop, or tablet... or even a
smart phone is more convenient, and most of us
have one nowadays…or something similar.
Everywhere can become a couch and it's more
socially acceptable than talking to yourself… or
taking it out on your partner, which can become very
expensive.
So, put it all down then...scribble or tap
away, unbutton your creative belt and let everything
hang out. Develop your expressive urges and have
your characters tell your conscience how you feel.
Above all be honest with yourself, even if it hurts. It
often does, and I should know…this is the voice of
experience.
Writing as a therapy appeared to be the only
answer in my case. So on aircraft, in trains, restaurants,
waiting at airports, anywhere I had the time, and
the inclination, I made notes and kept them. Some
of them later turned into cynical poems and a few
short story ideas, mostly with scientific themes. I
managed to have several of them published and
paid for later, and they were well received. I even
managed to fit in time to give an occasional reading,
which went reasonably well, especially once on TV.
I kept my interactve software generating, and
enhancing, business going this century, right up
until I turned eighty. Then I decided it was time to
retire professionally, and only indulge in writing,
editing and promoting my speculative fiction
output. Now of course, I find the latter, the essential
marketing requirement, seems to take up more and
more of my time than the writing does.
After a while, more of the smaller magazines
and genre websites began to take my work, and still
do, and I've also won a few competitions, and
received a couple of awards. Altogether I’ve had
published over ten collections of speculative stories
from macabre tales to science fiction and even some
humor. I've also had stories published in nine
anthologies in America.
My first collection was stories based on Tenerife. It has a most generous introduction by the late legendary, American
SciFi author Harry Harrison.
He met me in 2007 at a convention in Copenhagen, and
later visited me for a most illuminating week in Tenerife.
He liked my stories, but said I really had to write a novel
if I seriously wanted to get anywhere. So I did...!
Actually, four of them, in my POINTS OF VIEW near future espionage series.
My most ambitious effort has been to produce an easy to read
analysis of the coming artificial intelligence
revolution. The book has become my best selling
title. It's probably the most important subject I've
ever attempted. Most people I talk to have never
heard of the phenomenon, and yet some scientists
and other experts believe it will arrive in less than eight years now and then begin to change all our lives completely. See my website: www.tonythornembe.com.
In October 2017 it was acquired for publication in simplified
Chinese eBook and paperback versions. So how did that
wonderful breakthrough come about? The Chinese Government publisher's
Acquisitions Manager simply found me while searching
the Internet and took it from there.
So my own simple secret of success can be revealed
as get yourself featured on the Internet,
everywhere and as often as you can.
Make sure your name and the essential website URL
appears whenever a potential reader enters anything
relevant in the search entry box on any browser.
Inexpensive experts waiting for you on that remarkable
website www.fiverr.com can provide most if not all all the facilities
and the opportunities you need to achieve that
objective. (Yes, it does have two letter "r"s at the
end). When you have done all you can, check your
website regularly, add anything new, and keep it
updated and ongoing, but above all... be patient and
never give up..!
Tony Thorne MBE
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