Beyond the Blue

Poems from the heart of the sea

It’s finally done. Writing complete. Or is it? The process of editing and revising could become endless if we don’t force ourselves to stop!

This moment, when the book is printed and real and smells of new book (I love that smell), is actually physically present and available on a shelf, and people might buy it and read it and judge the writer for it, is possibly the best and the worst in the life of a writer.

The best because you have created something that did not exist before, that came from somewhere inside yourself and just pushed, cajoled, persuaded and eventually forced you to write and shape and mould it, and there it is, formed and ready to be shared.

The worst because every insecurity you ever had as a writer suddenly emerges again, despite spending years working on your craft, or building up your confidence. This is the moment where you feel more of an imposter than ever. How can I tell everyone I’ve published a small collection of poems, I ask myself, when I am as far from the talent of Duffy, or Larkin, or Eliot, or Cope or Heaney than it is possible to be? Imposter syndrome is excruciating.

But that was last night. Today, the sun is shining and Beyond the Blue sits pretty and ready to be purchased from Amazon as a paperback. Here’s the link - it costs less than taking your pals out for a beer and it’s far more rewarding. And that is an objective viewpoint!

https://amzn.eu/d/bDqEC5m

Next steps for me are to work on producing the e-book version and work on promoting and marketing Beyond the Blue.

But, a little more exciting than that, in my view, is starting work on the next collection. I already have some material and there’s no greater boost to productivity than having accomplished one task and feeling a surge of energy to work on the next. Here’s to rolling the sleeves up and opening up the notebook!

A notebook and fountain pen - my favourite way to work on the foundation ideas of a new project