A Trip Down Memory Lane: The Novelist's Journey

Almost there. Finishing touches applied. Corrections rendered. Release Date in sight. The closer I come to a polished final draft, the easier it gets for me to appreciate seven years of reworkings on this first entry into the Dreamerverse Series, which flash before me, as I stride through the manuscript faster than I ever have before. Each time I spin a chapter at a quicker rate, I triumph a sense of relief and a stroke of satisfaction that I never thought I'd fulfil, no matter how hard I manoeuvred passages, omitted scenes, characters and plotlines or rewrote the prose, word by word. If you had asked me in 2012 whether I could see myself being as content with the end product of this novel as I am now, I would have bitten your hand off at the prediction of reaching half of this concept's potential. I am very pleased with the outcome of the worldbuilding and the refined narrative that I'm really excited about the future of Mankind's World and already have the next five or so titles in the series lined-up. The depth of detail surrounding characters and their arcs l, as well as the many threads of the plots that span two storyworlds, are a testament to the time and effort that has gone into this work. Admittedly, if it hadn't been for a decade of disappointment and the perpetual demolishing and rebuilding of the manuscript, I'm not sure I would have pulled off the story to the best of my ability. Without that slow-burn of growth, the careful weave of interconnected plotlines, the meticulous interactions between characters and injection of contemporary themes, I don't think it would have hit the correct tone or the right beats (at least, not as many of them) that it does now. Time pays off. As much time as I've spent writing the novel, I have tried to procure representation. Nailing down such a service to the writer's success in finishing, editing and publication is a draining and seemingly empty task all on its own. These days, it is commonly seen as a privilege to be in the reserves of an agency. That, I suppose, is when the magic of Independent Publishing makes its mark on the modern writer. A few years back, "self-publishing" was deemed a taboo by anyone (both upcoming and established). It was initially regarded as a placeless wilderness where the keen and presumptuously Misled went to tip their egg-baskets and die of starvation among the skeletons of lost causes and missed potential. With the rapid advancement of the Internet and online distribution services, however, writers (both upcoming and established) have begun to realise that IP is not as daunting as they were once made to believe - as it once was without the appropriate tools in one's arsenal. Any new writer today is free and greatly justified to believe that, when the blurred lines of Traditional Publishing are no less than a far cry, it would be a crime to overlook the advantages that the open battleground of Independent Publishing offers. The restrictions of the industry are no longer as opaque as we were once deceived. The keys to the kingdom rest in everybody's hands; how well you steer the lorry of goods is utterly and unsparingly your responsibilty - which is how it used to be in the very beginning and how it should be. The Creative must always come before the Corporate. Why spend years failing or seconds succeeding under someone else's rules, when you have the option to fail faster and succeed at your own pace? Part of me respects that I attempted to follow the formula and go the Traditional Way (as MONICA would have previously advocated), but a bigger, maturer portion of me is glad that I changed my thoughts and ditched my prejudice towards Independent Publishing. I don't see it as a dreary last resort to jettison a hopeless novel, but a practical, exciting and reigniting new route to explore (MONICA's opinions have also since evolved with the times, I'm sure). I'm thrilled to finally announce that Constellation Planet will be my official debut release, arriving later this year. But, before I drop the book, I should probably let you know a little more about me... My name is Jason Falloon and I'm a 20-year-old fiction writer from North-West London. I go for Speculative Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia, Science Fiction, etc... Small disclaimer: First thing you should know is that I don't like blogging, so I don't expect this will be a regular thing. But I had a feeling this would be necessary to offer you a better introduction to me and a clear undestanding of what I do. Entertainment and media have been my passion for as long as I can remember. Writing has been my ambition since 2006. From short stories, to screenwriting, to noveI-writing - I've never wanted the options for mediums to end. I banged out my very first completed manuscript in 2008-09 - a children's novel I had been itching to pen at the age of ten, which stemmed from an obssession with Roald Dahl and his carefree idea not to send anyone to deal with those fucking Witches. I felt I had to serve them some justice; so I wrote "The Witch Watcher". Anyway---nevermind The Witches. Dahl won me over with the Twits, Charlie, and the greedy farmers who ate full roast chickens smothered in dumplings for dinner. Salinger had me rolling on the floor with Caulfield's angst. Duncan got me rolling under the bedsheets with the Third Eye. Townsend with Adrian, Pratchett with the Wee Free Men and Golding...with Piggy 😳. It's probably all these writers' fault why I'm drawn mostly to characters. Dialogue was always my strongest attraction in writing. Being able to get people to interact in realitistic and abstract ways on the page struck me like a thrill ride of emotions and continues to fascinate me. Usually, when I start to conceptualise a story, I start with honing in on a particular character and their specific situation before expanding things out into a narrative with branching plots and grander stakes. I think this is the best way for me to write - starting small (near microscopic) and then building up the stakes gradually, yet effectively (like growing a culture in a Petri dish). Constellation Planet is in reaching distance now and I can't wait to finally introduce readers to Mankind's World and the Dreamerverse. At the moment, I'm working in acute detail with my avid cover designer to perfect his excellent developments on the face of the novel (because people should be allowed to judge a book by its cover - me included). I also aim to put out a few more surprises and teasers with MONICA in the lead up to the release, so stay tuned and watch this space. To keep in the loop for this novel and all future releases, you can join the MONICA mailing list: https://www.monicamoon.co.uk/join-us The cornerstone for any creative project is the response it turns and the impact it has on audiences (some intended and others pleasantly unexpected) thirsty for new ideas, unprecedented outlooks and fresh concepts - something that is always hard to find, but never lacking in the modern world. I'm hyped to see how it's received by both those closest to me and those furthest away, hopefilly reigniting again that old charm of how one story can connect us all... Constellation Planet: https://www.monicamoon.co.uk/constellation-planet Jason Falloon: https://www.monicamoon.co.uk/jason-falloon https://www.instagram.com/jcfalloon/?hl=en