KINDLING

No, not firewood (though this weather certainly makes it the first thing that comes to mind),but the action of putting your work on Kindle.
For many indie writers, or those with a backlist, there's no doubt the ease with which you can make your novel, short story or anything else you've written available to a wide readership has transformed the publishing world. Good gracious -I've even heard some writers are actually making money!
So, no more sending off your work to one publisher after another, waiting (and waiting) for a response : the call to say they want to sign you up...or the thud of the manuscript on the doormat. Not quite.
For many writers being published by an established company is the reassurance they need that their work is worthwhile. Others find the speed of the various e-formats suits them better.
Truth is, there's room for both versions and in this uncertain and rapidly changing world who is going to be brave enough to predict what might be the options ten years from now?
In the meantime, I've uploaded my latest book to Kindle!

THE ACCIDENTAL INDIE WRITER

It's time to confess - I became an indie writer entirely by accident. I didn't spend years sending out manuscripts and being rejected, I didn't fall out with an agent or a publisher. It happened because I was incredibly naive about the fiction publishing business.
As a successful writer of non-fiction, I found myself a few years ago with more time to write fiction and set to work with a will. I'd always written fiction,but stories,novels and poetry were finished and filed carefully away.
Then one day all that changed. At my first Scottish Association of Writers conference, my crime novel was actually placed!Not long after a writing friend posted to say a publisher, funded by the Arts Council, was looking for novels and off my effort went.
Imagine my delight when almost by return  the reply came to say they would indeed publish my novel.The whole process was straightforward and smooth ...and you could even choose one of the covers they supplied.
Then,just before Christmas that year,someone told me my novel was for sale on Amazon. Friends and family sent off for copies and back came...a novel by a completely different writer. Not only was it not the kind of novel I would write, it wasn't the kind of book most people I knew would read.
Friends began to look at me strangely, perhaps suspecting I'd adopted a pen name and had hidden erotic depths.
Eventually the problems (including some with the first edition) were resolved and copies of my novel were available. Yes, I had stumbled into self-publishing without realising it.
It took quite some time to sort everything out,but but by then I was hooked. And with the advent of Kindle, the publishing world became even more interesting.
It's not that I wouldn't like to have a publisher,but with all the scare stories about the difficulties that are going the rounds at the moment,I'm happy to keep writing and being an indie!

I've been back on Bute doing some research for the WIP - Spring is on its way, though the boats are still snugly anchored.


My latest novel Last Dance at the Rothesay Pavilion will be available on Kindle soon.

                                  The 'real' Rothesay Pavilion.