Student Stories: Dorian Carter

Dorian Carter is completing the final unit for Stage One Creative Writing, but has managed to find the extra time to write, redraft, submit and be part of editing a collection of short stories, which will be published on the 20th of June. That's a huge achievement at Stage One and, as one of Dorian's tutors, I wanted to offer my congratulations, and find out more about how this was achieved…and how they feel about it!

NINA: Hi Dorian, You have just started the 1.3 unit and you’re studying scriptwriting and nonfiction, but in the meantime, you’ve just published your first collection of short stories: We Alone Saw Eye to Eye, published by Olympia Publishing. Congratulations! 

DORIAN: Thank you! I'm so excited to have it out there in the world. We Alone Saw Eye to Eye means so much to me, as it's the first time someone outside of my circle of support has read my work and decided to believe in it.

N: When did you start writing the stores in the collection? Did you have to juggle course materials and assignments at the same time, and if so, how did that go?

D: I started writing the collection not long after I started the course, and of course I had to work on it while preparing for assessment and the like. It wasn't always easy, but I love writing so much, it never felt like trouble having to find time to write more. It did leave me a bit burnt out in the middle, because I have a tendency to try and overwork myself, but I think that was a small price to pay for what I ended up with.

N: What is We Alone Saw Eye to Eye about? Could you outline any overarching theme for us, and possibly talk about the some of the characters and their stories?

D: We Alone Saw Eye to Eye is about acceptance, queer joy, and finding love in unexpected places. There's so much literature about queer misery and suffering––I know personally about the suffering the queer community goes through––and I wanted to write something hopeful, that showed that there was joy out there, regardless of your gender, race or sexuality. Two of my characters are in an arranged marriage that leads to them discovering they have more in common than they thought, and falling in love because of that. Another pair are childhood friends who were separated when one of them discovered their gender identity and ran away, only to meet up again in the future and fall in love. As I said, it's about acceptance, and finding someone who loves all of you, regardless of what others might think.

N: How you want to be regarded, as a writer, Dorian?

D: I want to be regarded as a queer writer, not just a writer who writes queer stories. My queerness is inseparable from my identity as a writer, because both make me who I am. My writing has always been an outlet for me, and a place for me to dream of a better world, and it helped me feel comfortable with my own gender identity in a way that I wouldn't if I wasn't a writer. It gives me a way to explore my gender and sexuality in a safe environment, and I think that's one of the beauties of writing.

N: I’m sure other students will be interested in the publishing process. Can you tell us a little bit about how you found, and contacted the publisher, how you compiled the collection and also about the editorial and proof-reading components and about the cover of your book?

D: I found Olympia publishers through an author's magazine I subscribed to. They sent out a list of publishers open to first time writers, and I knew I wanted to try my hand. Olympia publishers has a form you fill out on their website, which made the whole process a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. They also offered a mini edit if you didn't get accepted, and that was the main reason I sent in my work. I wanted to know what I could do to improve my collection, and I was so surprised when they contacted me back and said they wanted to work with me. The collection was compiled over about six months, at first finding out which stories worked for my theme and stood well together. The editing and proofreading stage took the longest, but it was interesting to see how professionals might amend my work, such as making sure I stayed in the same tense throughout the piece, and fixing minor grammatical errors. As for the cover, this was the most exciting part. I will admit that I hated the first cover, but I felt I couldn't complain as I hadn't given them any of my own ideas to work with, so they were starting from scratch. It wasn't until I spoke to a friend's dad and he reminded me that it was my book at the end of the day, and I deserved to love it. The second cover was a lot better, and that was the one we went for. 

N: What are the high points and some of the low points of getting published?

D:  Getting published is such an exciting and new experience for me. It made me feel like my work was worth something, which has always been something I struggled with…am I creating something worth creating? My friends have been a huge support during the process, and I think they might be more excited than I am, because they don't have to deal with the doubt that comes with putting your work out there…the worry that it's not any good, that it was a fluke. I also know that if I was writing the collection now, it would be better, because I've come a long way with my writing since the beginning of my OCA degree, but I have to remember that someone out there read my manuscript and liked it enough to publish it, so I should have more faith in my own work!

N: Where can we find your new book, and how do you plan to promote it?

D: We Alone Saw Eye to Eye, is available directly from Olympia Publishers on their website, and on Amazon and Waterstones' websites. I have an Instagram account dedicated to my journey as an author, where I will be promoting the book and any upcoming projects I have in the works. I also have a meeting with a local bookshop to discuss the possibility of talking at their bi-monthly book meet, which is exciting. 

N:  Thank you so much Dorian, and huge good luck with your new book!

Find Dorian’s collection here.