It's three years since
Irish writer Noel Farrell first began to take his writing seriously. Following
the loss of his job and the ensuing economic collapse, the writer decided to
look into a new age of digital technologies and after weighing up the pros and cons
he decided to write his first novel, Booker's World. The book was
self-published in 2011.
Why writing?
Of all the things in all the world, why writing? I've tended to ask myself that very question at least once a day over the past three years. I've always wrangled with words. When unemployment came along and the subsequent economic collapse it became clear to me that perhaps people who lost their jobs might have to rely on themselves for a time. The biggest problem for people who find themselves without a job is filling the time it leaves behind. I'd always wanted to pursue writing, but always looked at it as a retirement reward. To be pursued later in life. When it became clear that the recession might have a long-term impact, I took a look at what was available to writers in the digital sphere and liked what I saw. At least I knew if I started and managed to finish, I wasn't solely reliant on a mainstream publisher to deem my scribbling’s worthy of a public domain.
They say to write about what you know. So, that's what I did. I started a blog through a character I created, Don Booker. Himself a victim of unemployment, Booker is constrained by certain factors stemming from a life that could have been lived a little more. As he approaches his 40th year, Booker ponders through a pen, and takes an introspective look at himself and the social woes around him.
The novel took 9-months to write and a further 6 months of re-writes and edits. Written in a journal style, Booker muses through a tumultuous period in Irish history, in which strong themes relevant to society were explored. Having tried unsuccessfully to get an Irish publisher and 15 months after first setting out to write it, I decided to publish myself. It still took a while longer to hit that upload button. I knew once it was out there then that was it. Open to all. For better or worse.
The biggest criticism I got when I asked for opinion was how long it took to get into the book for some readers. I wanted to give the reader a sense of the Don Booker character and his surroundings before introducing the rest of the quirky characters. It's a coming-of-age novel so the character development was important. 'Don Booker' would not be a typical Irish name. I didn't want him clichéd or stereotyped. He may be Irish, but he could be from any culture/society. The themes I explored are everywhere around us. I was glad I shortened it however. It made for a better book at the end of the day.
Sales? Too few to even mention. I did a print run which sold over a hundred books and got them into libraries locally. I was offered distribution with an Irish company, but with them wanting 55% of the sale price it wasn't economically viable to someone unemployed. I find using promotions gets readers and when you are trying to build a platform it is probably wise to use them at the beginning.
I've blogged through the character since I began and also of the writing journey so far. I've made a monthly eBook available to readers from that time free on the website. I think if you want readers you have to give them something back. That's how I look at it. I'd much prefer to be traditionally published and get the help/advice that goes along with that as opposed to self-publishing. I think most writers just want to be writers at the end of the day. Self-publishing is a way to make that happen a little quicker perhaps, by building a platform until that traditional chance arrives. Successful self-publishers will also have to be successful business people, marketers’ and promoters. That's a tough ask for any artist.
If you start out writing and expect it to be a walk in the park, given the routes now available to writers, then you are starting for the wrong reason. Progress is slow. Painfully at times. Is it worth it? It is, if you love writing and all the little things that go with that.
Why writing?
Of all the things in all the world, why writing? I've tended to ask myself that very question at least once a day over the past three years. I've always wrangled with words. When unemployment came along and the subsequent economic collapse it became clear to me that perhaps people who lost their jobs might have to rely on themselves for a time. The biggest problem for people who find themselves without a job is filling the time it leaves behind. I'd always wanted to pursue writing, but always looked at it as a retirement reward. To be pursued later in life. When it became clear that the recession might have a long-term impact, I took a look at what was available to writers in the digital sphere and liked what I saw. At least I knew if I started and managed to finish, I wasn't solely reliant on a mainstream publisher to deem my scribbling’s worthy of a public domain.
They say to write about what you know. So, that's what I did. I started a blog through a character I created, Don Booker. Himself a victim of unemployment, Booker is constrained by certain factors stemming from a life that could have been lived a little more. As he approaches his 40th year, Booker ponders through a pen, and takes an introspective look at himself and the social woes around him.
The novel took 9-months to write and a further 6 months of re-writes and edits. Written in a journal style, Booker muses through a tumultuous period in Irish history, in which strong themes relevant to society were explored. Having tried unsuccessfully to get an Irish publisher and 15 months after first setting out to write it, I decided to publish myself. It still took a while longer to hit that upload button. I knew once it was out there then that was it. Open to all. For better or worse.
The biggest criticism I got when I asked for opinion was how long it took to get into the book for some readers. I wanted to give the reader a sense of the Don Booker character and his surroundings before introducing the rest of the quirky characters. It's a coming-of-age novel so the character development was important. 'Don Booker' would not be a typical Irish name. I didn't want him clichéd or stereotyped. He may be Irish, but he could be from any culture/society. The themes I explored are everywhere around us. I was glad I shortened it however. It made for a better book at the end of the day.
Sales? Too few to even mention. I did a print run which sold over a hundred books and got them into libraries locally. I was offered distribution with an Irish company, but with them wanting 55% of the sale price it wasn't economically viable to someone unemployed. I find using promotions gets readers and when you are trying to build a platform it is probably wise to use them at the beginning.
I've blogged through the character since I began and also of the writing journey so far. I've made a monthly eBook available to readers from that time free on the website. I think if you want readers you have to give them something back. That's how I look at it. I'd much prefer to be traditionally published and get the help/advice that goes along with that as opposed to self-publishing. I think most writers just want to be writers at the end of the day. Self-publishing is a way to make that happen a little quicker perhaps, by building a platform until that traditional chance arrives. Successful self-publishers will also have to be successful business people, marketers’ and promoters. That's a tough ask for any artist.
If you start out writing and expect it to be a walk in the park, given the routes now available to writers, then you are starting for the wrong reason. Progress is slow. Painfully at times. Is it worth it? It is, if you love writing and all the little things that go with that.
The blog got shortlisted for 3 awards at the Blog Awards Ireland last week in the Personal, Pop Culture and Humour categories. So, maybe I'm doing something right?
It's what Don Booker set
out to do.
Noel Farrell will be a regular contributor on The Unofficial 'Brit Writers and Writers Everywhere
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