88INTERVIEWRICHARD ATTREE
However, I’d like to think ‘Too Close to the Wind’ also has
cross-over, mainstream appeal and that my windsurfing
readers will share it with their non-‘windie’ friends. If they do,
then perhaps their friends might understand our obsession
with surfing the wind and waves. Word-of-mouth and
personal recommendations are the best way for an author to
build a readership, so of course I’m also hoping that another
reason to recommend my novel to a non-windsurfing reader
is that it’s simply a good read.
If you want people to actually read what you write,
you have to connect with them. I have the luxury of
writing for love, rather than for money.
It's hard to convey windsurfing in words –
especially to non-sailors. How have you
approached this?
Actually the windsurfing passages were some of the easiest
to write. Whenever I'm on the water I find words, images and
ideas floating around my brain. So all I had to do was
imagine myself windsurfing and the words flowed.
A big plus was imagining being able to windsurf as well as my
narrator, Nick, who’s something of a hotshot. So although I
don’t loop, or sail massive waves like he does, it was a lot of
fun doing these things vicariously, through his eyes.
I don’t know how well I’ve succeeded in conveying the
windsurfing experience to non-sailors (perhaps they’ll tell me
in their reviews)… I just tried my best to make it vivid and real.
How long did the book take to complete?
Well, as I say, I’ve had a long time to think about this book.
Arguably, it’s been ratting around my brain for 50 years –
ever since I was 15! I began actually writing the first draft in
October 2016 and finished it a year later. But re-writing,
editing, formatting, cover design, setting up the marketing
etc took a further year before I was ready to publish it.
And what about marketing? Is this
proving trick or easy?
I’ve never really enjoyed marketing (it’s one reason I got fed up
with being a freelance media composer), but I realise it’s a
necessary part of being a writer. If you want people to actually
read what you write, you have to connect with them. I have
the luxury of writing for love, rather than for money. I’m not
aiming to be a best selling commercially successful author, but
I would like as many readers as possible to enjoy my books.
uk
WIND
SURFING