The best part of a week since I returned from my retreat and, in terms of ‘what next?’, things are now clearly in focus. Which was one of the things the retreat was all about, to answer questions like that. And the ‘what next’ things are tangible and solid.
Firstly: finish my next novel; second edit complete in the next few days, final edit by the middle of June. I may not then rush to publication, but seek reviewers first and the chance to include some suitable comments on the cover/blurb etc.
Two questions therefore:
1 – if you’re interested in being a pre-publication reviewer please let me know by commenting on this post.
2 – title: at the moment either ‘Once Significant Others’ or ‘The Reunion’ or ‘The Trial of Posthumous Friends’. At the moment I favour the former. Comments?
Secondly: I am pulling together a ‘Selected Poems’, harvesting all my best work from seven volumes of poetry into a single volume. Editing/revising will be done this month (after all, everything’s already written!), and probably published in June. Reviewers for this too??
Thirdly: complete my collection of short stories. This means starting the editing process in June with a view to publishing July-September. I could have this reviewed too, I guess. There’s a theme developing here…!
Fourthly: after completing the above, push on with my long-term sonnet collection in earnest – publication 2023 or 2024.
Finally: start a new fiction project – probably in late-June or July. Already looking forward to that!
And all the while keep up with my podcast (new episode published yesterday), websites etc. Things weren’t looking that clear two weeks ago… shows the value of taking a step back / giving yourself the time and permission to focus.
Ian Gouge - Writer 