The joy of writing

Since 2013 I have been privileged to have written/co-written a number of books with former colleagues and friends. Several have been published by conventional means and I will always be grateful for the faith placed in us by the three publishers who took on some of our work, in particular MILO Books who took a leap of faith when I co-wrote 'Hunting The Hooligans' with Robert Endeacott, an experienced writer who believed from the very beginning that there was a story to tell. Other books have been self-published on KDP Amazon as a result of a great partnership with Stephen Burrows which led to the creation of 'Bostin Books'.

Many of the books are police-related but we have diversified into other areas as well such as historical crime fiction.

The purpose of this article is simply to encourage others who might be thinking of making that journey into their first book to do just that. Whether it's preserving a piece of history, a personal biography or a subject that you are passionate about then I would simply say just go for it!

When I first decided to work with Robert on our first book I promised my wife Andry that if I was going to get involved in writing then I would aim to complete six books. Three books have actually now been co-written with my wife, two during Covid lockdowns, so it's definitely become part of family life.

Thus far I have now been involved in writing twenty-two books with two more to complete this year before I decide whether that's it or not.

In terms of the negatives its absolutely critical that you keep your 'feet on the ground'. A visit to any book shop will illustrate the scale of your challenge. Writing is tough but marketing and selling is much harder so don't set yourself unreasonable targets. Writing a book is in itself a success, getting it published another achievement so don't give up 'your day job' too quickly as the odds are stacked against getting rich quickly due to a number of factors. Also prepare to develop a 'thick skin' for the days on which you receive a poor review or rating. It might be from someone who really doesn't like your work, or it could be from someone who simply doesn't like you or even enjoys the thrill of 'putting someone down' due to anonymity that the system provides. Whatever the reason learn not to take it personally and if it makes you a better writer then treat it as a positive.

Some of the positives are that writing gives you a huge sense of purpose and ultimate achievement. It hones your research skills, organizes your mind, gives you a sense of purpose, improves your written and verbal communication skills, provides a platform on social media to become an 'influencer' on a chosen subject if you so desire and leaves a legacy with your name on it. It increases your circle of associates and friends and provides opportunities to preserve history in terms of factual writing and to let your mind have complete freedom when exploring fictional themes. In 'older age' it allows you to explore places and issues which you didn't have the time to do before whilst providing a stimulus which keeps the brain active even if the body is not quite what it was! Above all it teaches discipline, planning and meeting deadlines.

I remain hugely proud of our books. I wouldn't class them as literary or academic masterpieces and I have no doubt that my writing style has changed over the years - hopefully for the better. Notwithstanding my previous comments we all write in the hope of creating a 'bestseller' but if it doesn't come it doesn't matter - you can still be a winner.

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