Journal of a DNA Pirate – and keeping on writing
In 2010, after I had submitted the draft manuscript of a full length novel to a publisher, I decided to start Journal of a DNA Pirate as a means to continue writing - in any way possible.
The objective was NOT to be bogged down by creating a story that had a known end or where I knew it needed to go. I just had to write from one end point to he next.
The journal format worked for that purpose.
Each time I came back to it I had to ask myself "What now?"
And so I began.
I stopped it in 2011 but had some ideas of where it was going. I had interest in my novel manuscript so I focused on that once again.
Then in 2014, there was a call for submissions by Fox & Raven for their second Ravensmoot speculative fiction anthology - maximum 8,000 words.
Journal of a DNA pirate fitted the bill. I just had to finish it off.
So, for a few days I wrapped up what I had in mind and made the word count - 8,000 words exactly.
I submitted it and waited.
The long list was released 1 October 2014! DNA Pirates was one of them.
And finally, 3 November 2014, the winners were announced - Journal of a DNA Pirate coming second!
This gave me the motivation to keep on with my writing and in particular my short story writing. It gave me the incentive to submit my now published (and first published) "Land of Light" to the "Imagine Africa 500" anthology.
The publishing industry being a difficult monster to survive in, Fox & Raven announced, in October 2015, that they would be closing their doors.
But...
There is light at the end of the cosmos.
