Embracing the Journey: Writing, Rhyming, and the Adventure Ahead
And asking you to consider following my book writing blog on Substack
Welcome to another edition of my blog. You may be surprised to see a blog post on my writing career where I usually talk about my art. Bear with me, there is a good reason for it. After thinking about it, I realised it is becoming more difficult to separate my work writing children’s books and my art career. Invariably, the books require illustrations, which I love creating, and this is very much still artwork. I have therefore decided to combine them both into a single space. It’s easier for me and hopefully more interesting for you as the reader. Do let me know if you think I’ve got it wrong though.
I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been busier than ever (if you’ve been following me you won’t be at all surprised), weaving together stories that I hope will bring joy, laughter, and a bit of magic to children everywhere. Over the past few months, I’ve been crafting up to ten new short rhyming stories, each one filled with quirky characters and whimsical tales. My goal? To illustrate them all and get them published over the next year or two. It’s a big undertaking, I know, but I’m excited about the challenge!
Falling in Love with Writing
The more I write, the more I fall in love with the process. There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching a story come to life, especially when it’s written in rhyme. It’s almost like piecing together a puzzle where each word needs to fit just right. And while I feel like I’m getting better at it, the real test will come when others read and (hopefully) enjoy what I’ve created.
To put that to the test, I’ve set myself an ambitious goal: to find a literary agent who believes in my work and is willing to pitch it to publishers. But I’ve learned that I might have made this challenge a bit more difficult by writing in rhyming verse. It turns out publishers aren’t as keen on rhymes as they used to be, mainly because rhymes don’t always translate well into other languages. But here’s the thing—I believe that there’s still a place for rhyming stories, especially when children and parents continue to love them. So, I’m sticking to my style and hoping that I’ll find someone who shares my passion for it. If all else fails, I shall simply continue to self-publish on Amazon, which has been quite successful for me so far.
Inspirations from the Village and Beyond
Living in a small village means there’s never a shortage of inspiration. From the quirky characters who call this place home to the beautiful scenery that surrounds us, I find ideas for stories around every corner. One of my recent stories was inspired by a friend’s blog about his epic charity walk along the River Thames. He walked all the way from the river’s source in Gloucester to London and back, raising funds for the Ollie Young Foundation.
This charity is small but important as it focuses on finding a cure for brain tumours in children. If you’d like to support this worthy cause, you can learn more and donate by visiting my friend’s Walk with Ollie webpage or the foundation’s website at Ollie Young Foundation.
Diving into the World of Video
You might have noticed I’ve been posting videos lately—yes, that’s me narrating my stories on TikTok! I’ve been learning about the dark art of book promotion from some successful authors, and it turns out that videos are a key part of getting your work noticed these days. So, despite my initial reservations, I’ve started embracing platforms like TikTok, and I’ll soon be venturing onto YouTube as well. It’s a bit daunting, but it’s also fun, and if it helps my stories reach a wider audience, then it’s worth every minute. Besides, I love learning something new even if it is making my kids cringe!
I’m currently deep in research mode, figuring out how to make my videos more appealing. Who knows, maybe Farmer Brian’s cows will go viral!
A Little Help from My Friends
Now, a little request from me to you—if you’ve enjoyed my first two books, The Scariest Dinosaur and I Saw a Dinosaur, I would be incredibly grateful if you could spare a few minutes to leave a review on Google or Amazon. Despite selling over 10,000 copies of the first book, I still don’t have as many reviews as I’d like, and they really do help! Your feedback means the world to me and helps others discover my work.
Giving Back to the Community
Lastly, I want to share a special experience I had recently at the Whitley Community Centre in Reading. I was invited to read some of my stories to the children there, and it was an absolute joy. The centre is run by dedicated volunteers who do incredible work supporting disadvantaged kids. I’m already looking forward to going back and doing it again! If you’d like to learn more about the amazing work they do, you can visit their website here.
That’s all for now! Thank you for joining me on this journey and for your continued support. I’ve got a lot of work ahead with these ten new books, but I’m excited to see where it all leads. Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, feel free to reach out if there’s anything specific you’d like me to cover in future posts.
Until next time, keep dreaming big and chasing those creative sparks!
Warmest wishes,
Roy