Made It Moment: Richard Godwin
Richard Godwin conducts some of the most searching interviews of writers I’ve ever read (see the link at the bottom to Richard’s blog). So when I asked him to contribute a Moment, you can imagine I wondered whether it would be as fresh and unexpected as his questions.
It is. Below please find Richard’s Not Made It Moment.
My first crime novel, Apostle Rising, was published in paperback on March 11th of this year. It was a proud moment. I’d been published in an array of magazines and anthologies and I am always delighted when one of my stories reaches a wider audience, but the release of my first novel gave me quite a buzz. It has received great reviews, and sold well in a hard market.
But do I think I’ve made it?
No.
I have since been included in several more anthologies, and am being approached all the time for work, which is nice.
But do I think I have made it?
No.
I’ll tell you why. There’s a big ocean of writers out there and the very best are in another league. I am not comparing styles, because there are some brilliant and relatively unknown writers, but I am comparing longevity, consistency and saleability. While I think the profit driven areas of publishing are getting a deserved lesson with the rise of the E Book, which I welcome, it is hard for a writer to make a career out of fiction.
I write because I love it. I write because it is a process in which one can go on learning forever, there is no ceiling.
My next novel will be released as an E Book early next year.
I can’t wait.
A video trailer of Apostle Rising can be seen herehttp://www.richardgodwin.net/
Richard Godwin is a crime and horror author who has been published in magazines and anthologies, including Pulp Ink and Laughing At The Death Grin. He also has had plays produced and published poems. Apostle Rising is his first published novel about Detective Chief Inspector Frank Castle. Castle never caught the Woodlands Killer and it almost destroyed him. Now many years later and still suffering from nightmares, he is faced with a copycat killer with inside knowledge of the original case.
Richard also conducts popular and searching interviews with writers on his blog.
Thanks Richard! But please give yourself a little credit. You’re putting your butt in the chair and getting your work out there.
Best,
Comment by Pamela DuMond — November 7, 2011 @ 11:46 pm
Great “Not” made it moment. I think you made it a long time ago. It just may take a while for the rest of the world to recognize it! Great-looking book and fabulous video trailer! I just added you to my TBR list.
Comment by mountainmama — November 8, 2011 @ 5:58 am
Oooo, Richard, that looks SO good! I am going to check it out right now.
May I be shameless for a second? (My apologies to the gracious Jenny!) Would you check out http://www.conclavejournal.com and see if that’s the sort of literary journal you’d consider submitting to? Your stuff looks perfect for us!!
End shameless promotion…*blush*
Comment by Savvy — November 8, 2011 @ 11:02 am
Richard, I don’t see APOSTLE RISING available as an e-book. Have you considered e-sales through Kindle and Nook? I’d buy it, definitely. I think you’d find a good audience there too. Best of luck! -Savannah
Comment by Savvy — November 8, 2011 @ 11:04 am
I am happy to say I’ve read and loved Apostle Rising, a crime novel by my good friend Richard Godwin. I predict this book will become a genre classic and entertain for generations to come!
Comment by Salvatore Buttaci — November 8, 2011 @ 11:20 am
Thanks for the heads-up. I think you’ll find a good deal of success in your new ebook.
Comment by Carrie Clevenger — November 8, 2011 @ 11:24 am
Apostle Rising is simply one of the best first novels I have read. I suspect R. Godwin’s “moment” is fast approaching.
Comment by AJ Hayes — November 8, 2011 @ 11:24 am
Richard is a great writer, but he’s write about that sea of writers. It’s big and getting bigger. And pretty hard to get noticed. Apostle Rising goes a long way toward that though.
Comment by Charles Gramlich — November 8, 2011 @ 11:42 am
Hear hear! Write because you love it! At the same time, the fact that you have put yourself out there and pleased even one person makes what you’ve done successful. Congrats to you! Success it measured in the smiles you bring
Comment by Collette Scott — November 8, 2011 @ 11:49 am
Yes! I, too, love writing because “there is no ceiling.”
Comment by Sara — November 8, 2011 @ 11:49 am
snappy
Comment by mary — November 8, 2011 @ 12:06 pm
Rich is a dark & unique writer & having read AR, I think you should too. Under the covers ….
Comment by Jason Michel — November 8, 2011 @ 2:39 pm
Yeah! Write because you love it. Write because it sets those characters free. Write because it’s a no-calorie form of enjoyment.
Comment by Carolyn J. Rose — November 8, 2011 @ 3:59 pm
Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt. I have three novels published and a book of short stories plus thirty or forty shorts and I fell exactly the same way.
Comment by Warren Bull — November 8, 2011 @ 4:15 pm
Good to hear from someone who is pretty far down the “made it” path. I’ve been suspecting for some time that there is no definitive made it moment, rather ups and downs that characterize most writer’s careers.
Comment by Johanna — November 8, 2011 @ 4:56 pm
Pamela thank you for your comment. I appreciate it.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 8, 2011 @ 6:14 pm
Mountainmama thank you so much. I hope you enjoy Apostle Rising.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 8, 2011 @ 6:15 pm
Savvy thank you, I’ll send you something. Are you looking for anything in particular?
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 8, 2011 @ 6:17 pm
Collette that is true. Thank you for your kind words.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 8, 2011 @ 6:18 pm
Sara that is it. Writing is a process and the beauty of it is you can only keep on learning.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 8, 2011 @ 6:19 pm
Carolyn well said and thank you. It is always surprising what characters come out with.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 8, 2011 @ 6:21 pm
Savvy Apostle Rising is not presently available as an E Book, Black Jackal Books may release it as such next year. My next novel will be released as an E Book early next year, please subscribe to the feed on my website or contact me there for more information.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 8, 2011 @ 6:23 pm
Johanna that is right. It is because there is no ceiling with writing that I think you don’t feel you have made it in the sense you may in other avenues.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 8, 2011 @ 6:24 pm
Jenny thank you for being such a great hostess. Jenny’s Chin Wag will be apppearing at my blog in the near future, please check it out, she’s given a great interview, and I wish you every success with your novel.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 8, 2011 @ 6:27 pm
I have heard (heard, total rumor and unsubstantiated) that there are only something like 100 authors in the country who do NOTHING but write fiction full time (no teaching, no workshops, nothing). I think it’s great to have high standards for ‘success’ and I really appreciate this approach, Richard, and you are certainly aiming high. And why not?
Comment by Mark Stevens — November 8, 2011 @ 6:56 pm
Great to see so many friendly–and talented–folks here and I’m so glad Richard has found new fans for his work. Not surprised he already has just a few
NOT making it NOTwithstanding 
Quite simply, Richard has one of the most incisive minds I’ve gotten to witness in action, and I think that comes through in his work.
I also wanted to throw in since Mark raised the point–the figure I’d heard was 200 authors made livings off their fiction alone–but that number comes from before e books. I think they are creating what might be the first middle class writer, ie, not a blockbuster earning much more than a living, with someone barely trying to scrabble along being the other option, but a writer who now can occupy that vast middle ground.
Book lover that I am, that is still one staggering value I see from the e-volution.
Thanks to all for being here, and again to Richard for his great post.
Comment by jenny — November 8, 2011 @ 7:10 pm
I guess I’m a day late in checking my e-mail, but I enjoyed reading the blog. I don’t feel that I’ve made it yet either in spite of hundreds of articles, short stories, poems and even eleven books of fiction published. You always think the next one will the THE ONE. But Richard seems successful from my point of view. Writing because you love it is the key.
Comment by Jacqueline Seewald — November 8, 2011 @ 8:10 pm
I hate to be a grouch, but quantity (of sales) does not equal quality. I just ordered your book, and hopefully, I’ll get it soon. As a reader, I am frustrated by the level of writing that gets so much attention. But that’s the way it is….
Comment by Lil Gluckstern — November 8, 2011 @ 10:14 pm
Richard, I’d really love to see it become an e-book!
As for Conclave, really, anything with a strong character is fine. Keep it short as best as possible. You can look at the guidelines on the site. Thanks! We’d love to have you!
Comment by Savvy — November 9, 2011 @ 10:33 am
Thank you for your comment Mark. That’s an interesting statistic.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 9, 2011 @ 6:26 pm
Jenny thank you again. The thing about the E Book is it cuts out so much in the middle from publisher to distributor, and alows readers to buy at cheap prices.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 9, 2011 @ 6:28 pm
Thank you Jacqueline for your kind words. If you love writing keep doing it.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 9, 2011 @ 6:29 pm
Lil you are right, quantity does not equal quality. Thank you for ordering Apostle Rising, I hope you enjoy it.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 9, 2011 @ 6:30 pm
Savvy I’ll send you something. Strong characters it is.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 9, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
Apostle Rising is the best crime novel I’ve read in 50 years!
Comment by Salvatore Buttaci — November 12, 2011 @ 2:46 pm
Salvatore thank you for your kind words. They mean the world.
Comment by Richard Godwin — November 12, 2011 @ 10:56 pm