Time and Exposure, the Bane of a Writer's Life

Time and Exposure:

The Bane of a Writer's Life 

by Grahman J. Wood

   Speak to any writer and they will avalanche you with a whole range of fears linked to their writing. For me I have two. Time and Exposure.

   Firstly, let me take “Time”. Time is limited and a writer needs time to formulate, express and amend their story. To accomplish this in the time between your day job that pays for the roof over your families head and the food to keep you going, the demands of supporting an energetic family and keeping your social life higher than a sea whelk (no disrespect to all sea whelks as I am sure most have an adequate social life), you need to be:

1. Insanely workaholic
2. Massively egotistically
3. Just plain crazy

   Now I am No.1 but people have said there is an essence of 2 and 3 in there! The problem with time is that you can’t recreate it and go back (though wouldn’t that be great?). Once used its gone and the demands in life don’t ease up. As a writer you are always conscious of time running out – to write the next chapter before dropping your son off or mowing the garden, for submitting to editors to meet deadlines, to attend publicity calls or send in blogs for interviews…the list is endless. If I could control anything then time would be my thing…

   Then we look at “Exposure”. Once that lovingly crafted piece of writing is out there you are open to all sorts of reaction. You become obsessed by kindle ratings, comments on blogs etc. To survive the slings and arrows you build elaborate pre-reaction statements like ‘Well I was really busy’ or ‘Hey, I was never looking to win the Booker Prize’…however you forget that most people are genuinely very fair and when the nice comments come in your arguments fade away. I have also found a readiness for others to compare or link the author to their writing ie the author is defined as a person by their writing. I have lost count of how many people take my science fiction stories for ZEIN and apply it to me. For the last time I do not have hidden magical capabilities and no I have no plans to save the Earth (though see No.2 above which may kick in).

   Exposure to ridicule, criticism and comment is the weight any writer has to carry. This is more than offset by compliments, astonishment that you have the determination to write a novel and the satisfaction of finally crossing one off your bucket list. For me it is a necessary evil and one I would gladly face as I just simply love to dive into my imagination and share my stories with whoever wants to take that journey.

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Author Bio

   Graham Wood was born and raised in Manchester and today lives in Timperley, Altrincham. He works freelance, coordinating large global outsourcing contracts. Zein: The Homecoming by Graham Wood (published by Clink Street Publishing 7th July 2015 RRP £8.99, eBook £4.99) is available online at retailers including Amazon.co.uk and can be ordered from all good bookstores. Royalties from the Zein series are donated to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House after they were instrumental in helping Wood’s family. For more information, please visit: www.grahamjwood.com.  

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Blurb: Zein: the Homecoming

    With Zylar defeated and on the run, newly appointed Lord Chancellor Kabel Blackstone leads a joint human and Zeinonian force in his search for his home planet, Zein. On Zein, Tate Malacca defends the survivors in the last remaining safe haven from the attacks of the vicious Pod hordes, who are intent on killing them all. As Tyson's powers in the magics grow more unstable... who can control or guide him; hopes may lie with the enigmatic Changeling, Zebulon. On Earth, the mysterious Cabal spreads its influence and network, with the ultimate aim of controlling the production of the all-powerful zinithium. Zylar waits for his opportunity for revenge, breeding his master race and building a new Ilsid army to crush the Blackstone brothers once and for all. Facing incredible odds Kabel, Tyson and their friends have to conquer their own fears and temptations to fight for not just each other but the millions who face certain death if they fail.

Find links to Zein: The Homecoming on
 Amazon UK, Amazon US, and Nook.