General   (General discussion, talk about anything.)

Authorship needs to be an obsessive endeavour, particularly for the writer striving to achieve publication of fiction for the first time. The most usual time taken is said to be about ten years.

Quintus Horatius Flaccus, known to us as ‘Horace’ the Roman poet (65-8 BC), put it this way: ‘Nonumque prematur in annum.’ – Let it not be published until the ninth year.

Probably, as in my own case, speculative submissions to agents and/or publishers begin at a point during the years of striving when the writer believes the product might be ready. He/she fails in the objective whilst continuing to work on the product, a procedure that can continue indefinitely, or until success, the project is abandoned or the attempt to turn writing into authorship scrapped.

Some writers are fortunate in having someone capable and willing to read their stuff and comment constructively, otherwise the only feedback obtainable is from readers who are paid to be critical, employed by agents, publishers and literary consultants. Such was my lot, and boy-oh-boy can those readers be destructive.

At this moment besides, jo anne, I know of four people, friends/relatives who have ordered copies of ‘Elements Of Nature’, jo anne having received hers, and approx thirty or so who will probably purchase. It would seem that sooner or later, I might if I’m lucky receive comments from readers who have no axe to grind.