About
Over the years many people have asked me many things. I can't quite recall what those things were, so I've made up my own questions and answers below using the standard writerly Who, What, Where, When, Why and How...
I think I love you, but who do you think you are?
As far as I'm aware, my name is Matt Fishwick. If this isn't the case, I've been lied to my whole life. Of course without the budget or staff of the BBC TV show of the same name, I guess we'll never really know.
What is the meaning of all this?
If by "this" you mean the website, I'll tell you.
Over the past few years I have made several aborted attempts to be a writer. I decided I needed a place to store the fruits of my writing labour. As building a dedicated library was just a little beyond my price range, the next best thing seemed to get a book published. Since I have yet to finish a book (both reading and writing) that too proved a little difficult. So a fallback position of a website seemed to suit everyone's low expectations, though few expected that I would even be able to pull that off.
So when I do get some fiction written, and I am using this website a driving force, it will be made available to you, dear reader (or Mum as the courts have said I'm allowed to call you).
Where can I find all this fabulous free fiction in pdf format no less?
Much of this free and fabulous fiction is currently locked in my head, though that fiction isn't in PDF format. The few stories, novels and novellas that have escaped can be found by visiting the fiction page or by the links at the top of each page on this website.
When did this all start?
Back in 2003 while on summer break from University I sat down at my Windows 98 machine (yes, I've always been ahead of the times) and began writing what I thought would be the world's best piece of written thingy. The fact that I didn't know the word "fiction" existed and had to substitue the word "thingy" did hamper my progress somewhat. So did going back to university that September, but before I did, I managed to write 65,000 words. Sadly, that novel got parked and forgotten about, though I still may finish it one day.
After university I started my rapid ascent to the first rung on the career ladder, but I never forgot about writing, especially when I had to write things down.
Over the next couple of years I worked on another novel. This one was written by hand with a pencil in it. It abruptly ended when I couldn't think of a satisfactory ending for the story at around 60,000 words.
In September 2007 I was in a book store at Columbus Circle in New York City when I found No Plot? No Problem! The Book! by Chris Baty. I contemplated waiting for the movie version, but decided to get the book anyway in the hopes that someone would read it to me. That November I took part in my very first NaNoWriMo. I won NaNoWriMo by writing 50,000 words in 30 days. I received an Winner's Certificate for my opus DONKEY DONKEY DONKEY DONKEY: A TRILOGY IN ALMOST ONE PART. This story was also handwritten and is currently unfinished. But I do plan to finish one day, Kif.
In April 2008, the same people behind NaNoWriMo launched Script Frenzy. This time the goal was to write a 100 page screenplay in 30 days. Well, I have to toot my own horn (I'm so lonely) because I won that one too.
I scored my second NaNoWriMo victory in 2008 with another handwritten effort. This one remains unfinished because it doesn't deserve to be finished. If it escapes to see the light of day it is only because it has learned to pick a lock.
In 2009 I once again won Script Frenzy. During this month I had chance to meet up with great group of writers in Liverpool. They go by the name of Scribblepool. Actually each of them have their own name and you can find links to their various web personas in the links page.Not taking the time to learn Jodie and Elenor's name is frankly quite crass and I expected better from you.
This leads us to the present day, or yesterday if you are reading this tomorrow. For the August 2009 Monthly meeting the members of Scribblepool were set a challenge. Write a 1,000 word piece with the theme "This Joke Isn't Funny Anymore". So I did just that. At the August meeting the writing is to be critiqued by the other members of the group.
It was then that I realised that I had never really shown my writing to anyone before so I decided to change that. And so, the website was built, and this information was updated. Okay so it isn't a very exciting ending to the tale, but then it wasn't a very exciting tale to begin with.
Why do both your banners look terrible?
Because you're lying and they're awesome. Seriously. In reality (and some would say that's not a place I go very often) they were created with a zero budget, zero skill and zero talent. You could say that it's like the Plan Nine from Outer Space of Internet banners and you may be right but that would mean that half way through writing this I would be replaced by my wife's chiropractor. Also, that happens to be my face.
How do you sleep at night?
On a hard bed. One day I hope to cushion it with piles and piles of money.
Did you know that you've misspelled "fiction" as "ficton" all throughout this website?
Thanks. I'm glad someone cared enough to say. Though I don't care enough to change it.
Can you say something random?
Like Stephen King once said: "I'll have the soup."
Can you tell me anything else?
No.
Are you sure?
Can I ask you a question?
No. This inteview is over.
