I Wish I Was A Writer (or Waving, not Drowning) - Damian Harvey

Children and adults alike often ask how long I’ve been a writer and, have I always wanted to be a writer? Adults also share the fact that they too would like to be a writer and ask how  they should go about it. I answer these questions as honestly and truthfully as I can of course. Inside, I have felt that I’ve been a writer for a very long time – though at first I didn’t actually do any writing. So tell that if you really want to write then you need to sit down and write. Every day if you can, but certainly most days if not.

I started writing whilst in full time employment elsewhere - so you might like to get a job first so that you can live and pay the bills. I was lucky in that publishers seemed to like some of the things I was writing so, after a few years I was able to go part time in my ‘day job’. I was fortunate again a few years later when I was offered freelance work that paid quite well and was incredibly flexible – allowing me time to write and to schedule school visits to fit in with the school’s requests. It was always comforting to know that I had another little job beneath me so that I could be sure that a little bit of money would be coming in to keep things ticking over. But wouldn’t it be good to be able to take that final step and become a full time writer. A real writer...

I blogged earlier this year about being determined to be more organised and business-like in my writing. No more procrastinating and time wasting for me, I thought. This resolution has been going quite well so far, and I’ve definitely tried to be more business-like in what I do.  There’s always room for improvement though and a recent change of circumstances has made me realise this and has also helped me make that final leap.

Did I jump or was I pushed? you might wonder... Enough to say that my comfort blanket has been pulled from under my feet and I’ve finally made that big leap into the waters bellow. It’s not a problem though – it’s an opportunity.  And hey… I’ve finally made it. I’m a full time writer. And at the minute, despite the worried look on my face, I'm waving, not drowning.

It’s scary. It’s exciting. It’s what I’ve always wished for. Now I've got the time to write what people want me to write and also to write the things I want to write. The only thing is, I’m sure that terms like ‘Bestseller’, ‘Rich and Famous’, ‘Castle of the Hill’ or ‘Cottage in the Country’ were supposed to be involved and, sadly, so far, they’re not.

Another question I’m occasionally asked by children is “why don’t you write a bestseller like J.K.Rowling or Roald Dahl or David Walliams?”  Why indeed...

It brings to mind an interview I saw many years ago with Jeffery Archer – perhaps on Terry Wogan’s show. Jeffrey was explaining how he had been bankrupt, or close to it, so he'd decided to sit down and write a novel. It makes me wonder what I’ve been wasting my time for all these years. I just need to sit down and write a bestseller… My wife, Vicky is incredibly supportive of what I’m doing so I’m sure she’d be more than happy to help.

It’s perhaps a little ironic that, upon 'Googling' Mr Archer to check the spelling of his first name (was it Jeffrey or Geoffrey? I wondered) I was taken to his website which is proudly displaying the cover of his latest novel – ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’.

Damian Harvey - www.damianharvey.co.uk

Twitter me @damianjharvey