Darragh Ó Bradáin

I took my idea for The One-Legged Head and went from a character I had created at the age of seven, to a fully fleshed out story, with a town, supporting characters, and something interesting happening to the people he encountered. As I wrote the story, I could see the pictures perfectly in my head. Unfortunately I do not possess the talent to illustrate. If I get to the stage where my submission is accepted, it will be for a professional illustrator to apply a visual interpretation to my written work.

I started my story on a Thursday, and wrote the final words the following Monday evening. I worked on the story whenever I had any free time. Not that I rushed it, I may have written it in five days but it was all I was thinking about. Even when I wasn’t writing, I was thinking about it. By Tuesday morning, with a fresh perspective, I looked over my text to make sure it was consistent, and that I had eliminated any obvious errors.

Later that morning, I got the ball rolling and submitted to a publisher. For me, that’s huge. I created something, and whether or not it ever reaches the shelves is a different matter. What’s important right now is that I know that I can write something from start to finish, and be confident enough to send it off for the consideration of somebody with experience. Whatever feedback I receive, I’m happy that I’ve come this far.