Oedipus Wrecked

The cause of my swollen and quite painful foot has been confirmed as gout. Yes, I can hear you chuckling now, trotting out the cliches about me drinking too much port and indulging in too much venison. You're right of course, but then if Aldi* are going to offer such competitive prices then who am I to quibble? (*other European budget priced supermarkets are available.)

So how does my trotter fit into my current thinking about writing? Firstly, in a very fundamental  way - when you're ill or in pain you don't really feel like doing anything creative. Or anything full stop. So my output this last week has been pitifully little. On  another level, my swollen and tender foot could be a metaphor for one's ego. Let me explain: I was scouring the internet today for details of agents to whom I could send the MS of 'Slybacon'. Some sites seemed quite formidable, listing the names of the renowned authors they  represented and books they had had published - almost as if to say "Ha! Beat that if you can!" Other sites presented themselves as warmer and friendlier and because of that they seemed to me to be more approachable. I became quickly aware that I was more likely to send my work to this second group. Why?

If I'm honest I want people to like my work, to see value in it, to believe in it. I accept that I'm going to need lots of help and - craven creature that I am - I want encouragement, not  a quick  and frosty dismissal. I associate very much with the quote from Noel Coward: "I love criticism just so long as it's unqualified praise". I accept I'm probably being totally irrational and unfair (and I'd welcome your thoughts on your experiences); nevertheless I will almost certainly let this instinctive feel guide me in my choice of agents, and my first ports of call will be those who appear most welcoming.

After all, when I do get to tentatively proffer my work to an agent it will be with the same apprehension that I squeeze my foot into my shoe, and I shall be thinking, "Tread softly because you tread on my dreams".  

See you soon
Ian
    
Please follow this link to take a look at my new novel 'Slybacon'