THE STORY SO FAR: PART 45

AN ARTICLE IN ATLANTIC.COM BEARS THE DISCONCERTING TITLE: “WRITERS ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO COMMIT SUICIDE!”

OUCH!

I was very tempted not to comment on this piece by Lindsay Abrams (October 19 212) but then decided it would be cowardly not to. After all, I am endeavoring to give you some insight into the mindset of this particular writer, and the topic of suicide is one I’m all too familiar with, and not overly fond of thinking about; though, of course I do.

I used to think that suicide was rare. I was brought up a Catholic (I no longer practice) and that religion teaches that the ultimate sin is that of despair – essentially abandoning all hope – and that, in such a context, suicide is a truly terrible thing.

As I have aged; and, unfortunately, have acquired considerable direct experience of suicide – though I have never attempted the act myself – I have become much more understanding and sympathetic. First of all, the principle reason why people kill themselves is normally because of illness in general. Secondly, there is a major connection with mental illness in particular. In the first case the decision is rational, because when you know you are going to die anyway – and probably in great pain - why not chose the time and the place, and die with dignity? Secondly, where mental illness is concerned, people, by definition, are not fully in control of their faculties. There are other reasons too, including despair after losing a loved one, but again one could argue that “the balance of the mind was disturbed.”

Overall, I have become much more understanding of such tragedies, and tolerant of them. Indeed, I often feel: There, but for the grace of God, go I. Yes, I may not be a practicing Catholic these days, but an upbringing by Benedictine monks is not something that simply vanishes; and it is a beautiful expression of some of our finer feelings: Empathy, compassion and humanity.

When I found the hanging victim – and presumed suicide – that led to my writing GAMES OF THE HANGMAN I was badly shaken initially. Then a feeling of enormous sadness suffused me. Later, when a policeman cut the rope, and the head and upper half of the body fell into my arms – and it was a pretty grizzly sight – a deep sense of compassion gripped me, and I just want to hold him and bring him back to life again. It was not to be. Instead, after some moments, we laid the lifeless body down on the leaves and covered it with a blanket. Subsequently, there wasn’t much of an investigation – there rarely is where suicide is the assumption – and that lack haunted me, and drove me to write the book.

Before and since then, I have lost more family members, friends and acquaintances through suicide than I really care to contemplate.

The research quoted in the Atlantic article was Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and was based upon census data representing 1.2 million people. The findings substantiated the popular notion that creativity and mental illness are linked (though one could also argue that, all too often, the actions of creative people are merely deemed to indicate mental illness). The control in this study, by the way was “accountant” – presumably the very definition of normalcy!

Since the term “writer” covers a multitude – for instance there is a huge difference between a salaried journalist and the insecure financial life of a writer of creative fiction – the article goes on to nail my area with the clear statement: “Authors were almost twice as likely to commit suicide as the general population.”  Hmm! Hard to dodge that one.

I guess I could argue that since the research seems to have been based upon Swedes, a notoriously moody lot who over-tax their alcohol, that it doesn’t apply to me.

Instead, I shall merely say, that as far as I am concerned, the rewards of writing far out-weigh the risks of being in such a category; and that some of the company of authors I am in, is remarkably distinguished.

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 44

A FEW VISIONARIES, MAVERICKS, THE DECIDEDLY ECCENTRIC, AND OTHER ENTRPRENEURIAL GREATS I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO KNOW

I am prompted to write about the above because of the piece I wrote yesterday praising such people. Most of the creative people I knew, or know, were, or are, movie stars or actors,  or directors, or authors; but the following far from comprehensive selection all  invented physical things, some of which went off with a bang.

DESMOND LESLIE: As far as I was concerned, ‘Uncle Desmond’ (an honorary title) was the most exciting friend my mother had. He was tall, good-looking, had a beautiful voice – and a wicked sense of humor. He was a Spitfire pilot in WWII, a relative of Sir Winston Churchill, and the family home was a castle in County Monaghan in Ireland. He was also a pioneer of electronic music and in the Fifties he designed the first effective sound mixing desk. I remember him showing it to me when I was about seven. In effect, Desmond enabled modern pop music. Little did I know that John Lennon would be married in his castle, and that he, Desmond, would become the subject of some awe in the music industry with fans such as Mick Jagger. He died in France in 2001.

MACK MCKINNEY: Mack was one of Ross Perot’s first employees when he set up EDS. Finding that too constraining, he set to work to create a free text database before such things generally existed. The net result was an extraordinary software program called askSam which pretty much saved my writing life. I suffer from a form of dyslexia and at the same time collect a vast amount of data. How could I find what I wanted near instantly, with such a flawed memory, without using the kind of structured database that was normally the only option then; and which required more expertise than I possessed to program? Mack provided the answer, and I was so impressed that I went to visit his operation in Perry, Florida. There, he took me into the swamps in a canoe – scaring me stiff – and then we spent an evening carousing in a fashion that can best be described as ‘memorable.’ Currently, Mack, and his delightful wife, Bea, are retired in Texas. Bill Gates, another of my software suppliers, was never as kind, or as much fun, let me tell you.

ROBERT EDISON FULTON: Bob, his wife Anne, and I became very good friends even though he was in his nineties, and I was close to half a century younger. Fortunately, apart from being slightly deaf, he was still sharp as a whip. In fact, the couple stayed with us when they visited Ireland. I contacted him initially because I wanted to feature one of his inventions in one of my books, and he invited me to stay. He also offered to meet me at the airport. As it happened, my flight was delayed, so fearing he might miss me, he chatted up a troop of tall, leggy, Las Vegas dancers who were in between flights, armed them with copies of my books which were everywhere in paperback at the time – and which featured my photo - and sent them on their mission. Let me tell you I was entirely taken aback to be greeted by such beauties – but decidedly flattered. Bob then appeared with a mischievous smile on his face. The man was a consummate inventor and a delightful human being. We talked a great deal, and I have rarely encountered a more interesting man. In WW II, he invented a gunnery training device which taught U.S. Nary pilots how to shoot (to good effect, as history shows). After WW II, he developed the first flying car – the Airphibian – that became government certified. It is now in the Smithsonian. And then he invented the Fulton Extraction System which allowed an aircraft to extract a man from the ground without landing – and without being a helicopter. An aircraft dropped a package containing a suit, a deflated balloon, and helium. The person on the ground climbed into the suit which was connected to the suit by way of an ultra-strong braided tape. He then inflated the balloon with the helium, and up it went for many hundreds of feet. A specially equipped aircraft would then capture the tape with prongs, and the person in the suit would rise off the ground until he was trailing behind the aircraft. He would then be reeled in. You would think the person would be wrenched to his death, but such is the power of geometry that his ascent was actually quite comfortable. The system – also known as Skyhook – was in active use by the CIA and the Air Force for decades. You can Google it for details.

DR JOHN HUNTER & DR HARRY CARTLAND: I tend to think of John and Harry as the Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid of inventors in that I have never been quite sure who does what in their relationship. Either way, I met them because I had been researching the Supergun (you will recall the backstory which got George Bull assassinated) and then was invited to Lawrence Livermore National Lab to see the Supergun that John and Harry had developed. Better yet, I could see one actual firing. Naturally, I jumped at this invitation (actually I was living in Ireland at the time) but the shoot was worth it. A supergun has ‘super’ tacked on for a reason. You could work up a sweat sprinting the length of the barrel. The whole valley shook when it was fired, and the flame of the muzzle blast would have impressed the largest of dragons. Afterwards, the double act told me that their eventual plan was to use their hydrogen powered supergun to shoot supplies – and possibly satellites - up into space at a much lower cost than rockets.  Since I am a sucker for crazy projects, I very soon became actively involved – for some considerable time - but that is an other story. The pair are currently alive and well, and living in California with their respective charming wives. Both are exceptionally talented men and no crazier than most pioneers. Their supergun may yet become operational reality. Rocketry remains alarmingly expensive and is an environmental disaster. In contrast, hydrogen’s byproduct is no more than water because the hydrogen combines with the oxygen in the air to make H2O. If you have $500 million seed money, this is the project for you. If nothing else, you will be thoroughly entertained.

DR. EDWARD TELLER: Teller, of course, is known as ‘The Father of the H-Bomb’ and was also one of the founders of Livermore. In addition, he was the inspiration for Dr. Strangelove (played in the movie by Peter Sellers). I met him because John and Harry’s supergun shoot ran a week late so they decided I had best be entertained by meeting one scientist after another. Memorable people. However, Teller was the star attraction and he lived up to his billing. What is more, our encounter had an audience. John, Harry and crew – there were quite a bunch there – had a lot of fun watching this formidable old man hammer me verbally while I tried to interview him. I guess I just about held my own, but it was quite an experience. The man’s scientific contributions were extraordinary. He died shortly after we met. I doubt our encounter was the reason. He was 95.

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 43

ONE OF THE BEST BLOGS AROUND CONCERNING MATTERS ENTREPRENEURIAL, AND THE SHEER EXCITEMENT OF CREATIVITY, IS ‘CRASH DEV’ WRITTEN BY CHRIS DEVORE.

HIS LATEST PIECE IS BRILLIANT!

We book-writing types tend to think of ourselves as creative people – and artists at that - and, as such, set apart (and above) the crude brutality of routine business. True, typically, we earn less – frequently a lot less – but we console ourselves with the thought that we are doing something we love; and that we have creative freedom.

There is much validity to that viewpoint, and when I left business to write I certainly held such a view, but, over time, I have modified  such arrogance; or have had it hammered out of me though experience.

I still regard much of U.S. style unfettered capitalism as quite as crude, brutal, and mindless as indicated (and not particularly effective at improving the quality of life of the population as a whole), but I now believe creativity knows no boundaries, and I am huge fan of entrepreneurs, the entrepreneurial spirit, and innovation in general – especially when de-coupled from the notion that all that matters is the accumulation of wealth. True, most of us like money, and all of us need it to some extent; but fundamentally it is a false god when seen as the prime motivator. It is a tool in the tool-box of life; but that is all it is.

Really great people are driven by ideas, the pursuit of excellence and the desire to break new ground; and they are exciting both to know and to work with. And many are great fun into the bargain, because enthusiasm is infectious.

Chris Devore runs a Seattle start-up investment house – with his partner, Andy, called FOUNDERS-CO-OP and blogs at www.crashdev.com

On October 17 2012, he wrote a short, but brilliant, piece which sums up pretty much exactly what I feel as as it relates to software (which is his area of focus) but his observations have vastly wider application; and are incredibly exciting.

Best to read the whole piece, but here is an extract:

“To a newcomer, the economic flows -- or lack thereof -- in early-stage startups can seem completely upside-down. Founders barely get paid, mentors pitch in for free, everyone works like a dog and they all act delighted to be there.

What's going on here? There are good reasons for things being the way they are today, but they require a little explaining...

Over the past 10 years -- thanks to cloud infrastructure and open-source software -- the cost of technology innovation has collapsed. This, in turn, has radically recast the economics of early-stage innovation.

Skilled teams of maker-founders can now build and distribute world-class software with no outside financing required (at least until the business starts to scale). The financing event that used to mark the beginning of a startup's life -- raising a few million dollars in Series A venture -- is now a growth financing event that comes 12-18 months later (if at all).

Because there's so little financial capital at work in the system, early-stage innovation tends to attract people who don't rate money very highly on their hierarchy of needs. From my own experience, early-stage community members:

• are fascinated by the power of technology to create positive change;
• love to be in the flow of new ideas; 
• seek to advance their own thinking by spending time with thoughtful and intellectually curious peers; 
• self-identify as entrepreneurs and enjoy the company of others on a similar life journey; and/or
• have accumulated business and life experience relevant to tech startups and enjoy sharing their lessons learned with a new generation of founders.”

Chris’s ending is so powerful it makes me want to stand up and cheer; and the man can write. 

“For me, the early-stage innovation community is the most beautiful, inspiring, intellectually stimulating, emotionally rich and welcoming pocket of modern culture I've ever found. But if Willie Sutton were still around he wouldn't be caught dead working at -- or selling to -- an early-stage startup.”

 

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 42

I ONCE KNEW A DARK AND SECRET PLACE, WHERE ONE COULD DRINK ILLEGALLY AFTER A PERFORMANCE. CONVENIENTLY, IT WAS JUST ACROSS FROM THE GATE THEATER

As I have mentioned previously, my mother was outrageous, charismatic, and unstoppable. As a consequence, whenever we went to the Gate theater, after we had gone back-stage, we would troop across to Groom’s Hotel to have a drink or two. ‘We’ typically consisted of my mother, step-father, my sister Maxine, and myself; and sometimes we had a friend or two along.

I won’t attempt to describe Ireland’s liquor laws in those days, but the gist, as it relates to this story, was that this was illegal for at least two reasons. Firstly, it was after hours; and secondly I was a minor throughout this period; as was Maxine, who is younger than me by nearly two years. On the other hand, the owner of the hotel was the secretary of Ireland’s main political party, and government ministers often drank there. As a consequence, the Gardai (Ireland’s police) rarely raided the place even though they knew perfectly well was was going on. Unlike the U.S., Ireland does not pride itself on being a nation of laws. It is more a nation which understands human nature. It is one of Ireland’s most attractive qualities.

It was legal to drink after hours if you were resident in the hotel. Accordingly, although Grooms only had something like twelve rooms, many dozens of the regulars were technically booked in there – including a useful sprinkling of judges. If all had slept there at the same time, they would have had to have been packed in like anchovies. Looking back on it all, I suspect the rooms were put to other uses. The theatrical life is fueled to no small extent by sex.

I loved Grooms because it was a chance to see all kinds of famous actors close up, and more often than not, one or more would join us at our table; if we could get a table. Sometimes, the place was as crowded as a Tokyo subway car in rush hour – and I speak from first hand experience in both locations.

Not only local actors went there, but visiting actors invariably found their way there too. We had quite a crop of these because we had a movie studios some miles south of Dublin, Ardmore Studies, (it is still very much in action) and there was normally a film being shot there. My favorite, that I can recall, was Robert Mitchum, who came to Ireland on a number of occasions – and spent  considerable time there filming Ryan’s Daughter directed by David Lean of Lawrence of Arabia fame.

Rumor has it, Mitchum once punched someone who was pestering him in the back room of Groom’s Bar, but I fear I missed that particular incident.

They say you should write about what you know. Thanks to my outrageous mother and the theater, I came to know a great deal at quite an early age; and some of it was even legal. That said, I was never tempted to become an actor despite the glitz, and the glamor, and the numerous truly stunning women.

My first serious girlfriend was an actress; but book writing captured me instead. Nonetheless all my published books have been optioned for the movies.

My eldest daughter, Kira O’Reilly, is a successful performance artist, and my eldest son, Christian O’Reilly, is an award winning playwright and one of his works has been filmed. One way or another, show business seems to be in our blood.

The black sheep of the family, my son, Shane O’Reilly, is a banker. Zut alors! What can one say!

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 41

IRELAND HAS AN ASTONISHING LITERARY TRADITION FOR A VERY SMALL NATION

I was sent to boarding school from the age of five (something I regarded at the time as “cruel and unusual punishment” – though I did not yet know the phrase) but there were some compensations – in addition to numerous disadvantages - to being the eldest son of my quite extraordinary mother.

The compensation that came to mind, when I referred to Ireland’s remarkable literary tradition yesterday, was the fact that from an early age – perhaps eight or nine – I was taken to the theater a great deal.

My mother was never an actress, although I suspect she would like to have been, but she loved the theater with a passion, and mixed in theatrical circles as often as possible. There, since she was entertaining, charismatic, and a generous hostess, she was accepted freely. Besides, her theatrical connections were extensive. She had met my step-father in an experimental theater, my sister Maxine was a budding actress, her sister-in-law and her husband, Genevieve Lyons and Godfrey Quigley, were highly successful actors, and she was close friends with Lord and Lady Longford who owned and ran one of Dublin’s leading theaters, the Gate. It was in the Gate, by the way, where Orson Welles, still only in his his early twenties, helped to establish his earlier reputation. He was, to put it mildly, a phenomenon.

I was both fascinated and transported by the theatre in a way that was quite different to the movies. Whereas I love movies, and like nothing more than to relax with a good movie after a long day, the theater has a magic of its own. Just for starters, there is the fact that it is harder work (good exercise for the mind). You have to suspend disbelief, put up with the fact that most sets are clearly artificial, and then accept the reality that many performances are marred by the fact that one or more of the cast are still quite blatantly still learning their trade. Nonetheless, the fact that the theater is live creates a palpable tension in itself; and then there is the exciting discovery that although so much is artifice, one can still be transported by a very special kind of magic.

Has exposure to the theater contributed to my writing? Profoundly, I suspect, because the theater had a decided effect upon my imagination. There I was in an all male, rather grim boarding school for much of the year, whereas my visits to the theater back home in Dublin, Ireland, were occasions of glamor, and color, and excitement. And there were real live women there; and many were exceedingly attractive!

Better yet, since we normally went back-stage after a performance, to congratulate the performers in their dressing-rooms, I often got to see these beautiful creatures in a state of undress.

To understand how exciting that was to a sex-starved teenager, you would have to lock yourself up in an all male boarding school in Yorkshire, England, for months on end, for three terms a year, just when your hormones were at fever pitch.

Ironically, the damn place is now co-ed. My imagination fails at this point. 

But, I digress. My real message is that the theater is a wonder we neglect at our peril; and it informs the human condition to great advantage. All of that apart, it is a social occasion, and a great deal of fun.

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 40

“MADNESS! MADNESS! COULD WRITING BE A DRUG?”

Yesterday, I stopped work about 7.00 pm, which is pretty normal for me, and wandered into the kitchen to see what I might need to buy for supper. There, sitting on the counter, was my uneaten breakfast. I had apparently forgotten – yet again - to eat both breakfast and lunch.

Don’t misunderstand me. I enjoy my breakfast, and get hungry like anyone else; but I enjoy writing more, and, if the words are flowing, I have a very hard time tearing myself away from whatever I am working on.

Similarly, when I get up in the morning, I don’t automatically go to the kitchen to make a mug of tea (as would have been my custom in the past). Instead I go to may computer to check my e-mail and read over my previous days work. Then, the chances are good that – sparked off by something I have read – I will start writing. And the next thing I know, half the day has passed. And I haven’t even had a single mug of tea (I hate cups). As to why I drink tea rather than coffee, I guess this is my Irish blood. We are a tea  (and alcohol) drinking nation. Where writing is concerned, such propensities seem to have served us well. We have an astonishing literary tradition for such a small nation

I don’t know exactly how I learned to focus with quite this intensity, and for such sustained efforts, but I guess it boils down to sheer will-power. For years, I tried to focus, and again and again would be distracted by something or other, and my attention would wander. Next day I would try to focus all over again, and once more would fail. And that wretched cycle of failure would persist for decades – though I still managed to write. Then suddenly I achieved the ability to focus with the intensity that I had always thought writing both deserved, and required; and I was ecstatic. This business of being ‘in the zone,’ as far as writing is concerned, is about as good as it gets. The rush and the peace and the satisfaction and the joy defy adequate description.

It strikes me that writing has an effect beyond the obvious. Though clearly it is primarily concerned with conveying one’s innermost thoughts to words that can be read and understood by others, I have the notion that the effect of this process has enormous, life-enhancing, significance in itself. It improves your cognitive abilities.

“You’re mad!” I hear you say. Could be. By definition, how would I know otherwise? But, if I am, all I can tell you is that there is a great deal to be said for the condition.

 

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 39

WHAT ARE (SOME OF) THE SECRETS OF PUTTING A NEW VENTURE TOGETHER?

This is a longer blog than normal; but, since the subject is rather important, please bear with me. But how would an author know about such matters? Well, I was in business before I became a writer; and just so you know, book-writing is just about as entrepreneurial as you can get.

I don’t profess to know all the answers to my own question, but as I work away towards getting my books published, I have had a few thoughts on the matter. However, before I elaborate, let me explain a little about my own situation.

I have always been entrepreneurial and creative. I am blessed with what is known as an original mind. Quite why, I don’t understand exactly, but I know that I have always had a vivid imagination, and have been intensely intellectually curious. Part of it is doubtless genetic, but I was also brought up in a creatively stimulating (if over-emotional) home environment. When I was at boarding school (a decidedly less emotional location where histrionics were unacceptable), a rather marvelous math teacher called Father Bede – he was a Benedictine monk - told my mother – during one of her rare visits – that I was both highly intelligent and a dreamer, and he meant it as a compliment. He meant I tended to question the status quo and dreamt of what might be.  He was entirely right; and I haven’t changed in that regard. I will die the dreamer.

Unfortunately, my attributes were offset by certain serious faults. I was impatient; I had a terrible temper; and I lacked what I tend to call emotional resilience. I tended to over-react in the face of setbacks, and to have great difficulty in viewing them calmly and dispassionately. I had not yet learned that matters are rarely as bad as you think they might be; and that most issues can be resolved if you keep your cool and take your time. Easy to say and hard to do, but the truth is: COOL IS KING. Have that tattooed on the inside of your eyeballs. It may be the most important lesson you need to learn.

Suffice to say that my considerable talents were, at least partially, offset by my flaws, so I have been less successful than I otherwise might have been. But, I have had my successes, for all that; and have certainly lived an interesting life. Beyond that, I live in hopes I have learned a few things, and mellowed somewhat; and I’m not dead yet.

A very good friend of mine, Vaughn Forrest to whom my third book THE DEVIL’S FOOTPRINT is dedicated (the fictional character, Cochrane was inspired by him) likes to stress that life is hugely about managing one’s fears. He is entirely right, but he is also saying much the same thing as ‘Cool Is King’ – but, perhaps more elegantly.

So what are (some of) the secrets of putting a new venture together?

• OBJECTIVE: You need a clear objective. Feel free to call it a vision. You may have to modify it a bit in the light of events, but the substance should remain. Where writing is concerned, it may be a story outline. It may be as simple and intangible as an idea which inspires you. Creativity operates in strange and wonderful ways.
• PLAN: A vision is a fine thing, but if you don’t know how to achieve it, you won’t get very far. A plan doesn’t have to be perfect, but you need something; and it is probably best written down. If you are planning to raise funds, you will also need a Business Plan. Books on the latter are widely available. Being a writer, I’m rather biased in favor of the written word and Business Plans, but I will admit that plenty of businesses get started without them. Where a book is concerned, editors like story outlines; but many authors just like to write. If the seed is there, both story and characters have a habit of developing on the page.
• EXECUTION: This boils down to the ability to get things done, and it is a rarer attribute than one might think. Why so? Well, it involves determining priorities, dealing with people, enduring bureaucracies, coping with administration – and much else besides. It is extraordinarily important. Remember ideas are common. It is what you do with them that counts; and the pitfalls are many. It is useful to be a competent executioner. If you are a writer, first and foremost, you execute by writing. True, there is more to writing than that. You have to market your work. But, first you have to write for as many days, weeks, months and years that your work takes.
• PEOPLE: You need people. No one does anything entirely alone (even if they think they do). In business, it is called a management team. Where a writer is concerned, it may be a support system. Either way, we ALL need help. One person – in addition to you - may be enough. It depends upon the situation.
• WEAKNESSES: It is both helpful, and painful – especially to the go - to know yourself really well; and compensate accordingly. This does mean swallowing humble pie, because, no matter how talented you are, you almost certainly have weaknesses too. Best to admit them and compensate for them from the beginning. If you don’t, the stresses of a new venture are likely to expose them. This is why most new ventures operate best when a team is involved. Where writing is concerned, you need solid emotional support, and, most probably a good editor – or at least a few people who can assess your work critically. That said, where creativity is concerned, over time you will discover that you will develop the best guide of all; an inner voice. Learn to trust it. Does that fly in the face of words like ‘team’ and ‘cooperation?’ Yes, it does. But such is the nature of creativity.
• FORTITUDE: You need fortitude. This is a truly marvelous word which the dictionary defines as: Strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage. If I can guarantee one thing about a new venture, it is that you will run up against adversity. Things will go wrong. People will try and stop you. Keep cool, and keep going regardless of any, and all, obstacles. This can be extraordinarily hard to do; but it is what you must do.
• STOICISM: You need to be prepared to live with lack of encouragement from most other people including some, if not many, of those closest to you. That comes as a shock. But, most people are not entrepreneurial, and work in a reactive job within structured systems. Given that reality, they tend to regard the new (unless it is a new gadget from Apple) as an implied criticism of their ways of life. This is no more than human nature. Don’t take it personally. It is just something you have to expect and live with. And, if you are a writer, or otherwise creative, it is worse still. No regular income. Prospects poor. Spends all day alone (probably) drinking). Clearly a social misfit. Endure – perhaps for years; and keep going.
• PATIENCE: You need patience. Boy, do you need patience! Most people can estimate how long things take because they are doing the same kind of thing all the time. But, where a new venture is concerned, you are pioneering and can only guess; and you will frequently guess wrong. Beyond that, almost everything takes longer than you think – particularly the first time around. Take up Yoga. Take cold showers. Go for long walks. Buy yourself a hammock and chill out. You really do need patience.
• EXPERTISE: You really, truly, and absolutely need expertise. This is hard to be precise about, but I am generally of the view that the more you know about your business the better. Sometimes, of course, you have to learn as you go. Writing a first book is a good example. If I had known what it took to write a big thriller I might never have started GAMES OF THE HANGMAN (I lie) – but I will say that although I had never written a book before, I still had decades of other writing experience under my belt. You need at least some expertise. More is better. Professionalism is really what I am talking about. Watch a  pro at work in virtually any field and it is hard not to feel respect; and more to the point – trust. Trust underpins everything. Understand the concepts of trust and decency and there is not much else left.
• RESOURCES: You need resources. This is a complex issue because there is such a thing as having too many resources. That said, it is hard to progress when you are on the breadline. Trust me on that point: I have been there. The trick is to operate as minimally as you can while having the essentials. For instance, if you are a paratrooper, you do not need a brand new uniform, and shiny jump boots, for your first combat jump; but both a parachute and a weapon are highly advisable. If you doubt me, and feel like experimenting without, be my guest.
• HEALTH: You need your health. Doing anything entrepreneurial requires energy and stamina over the long term – and the long term could be years. Setting up a new venture is hard pounding. I give credit to the Duke of Wellington for that last remark. The man both wrote and spoke with humor, style and elegance. He would be remembered for such qualities, but then he defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, and is primarily recalled as a soldier. It’s a sad fate for a man of such literary talent; not to mention the inventor of the Wellington boot.
• LUCK: Some people believe you make your own luck. I don’t think that is entirely true. Bad things do happen to good people, and vice-versa. What I will say is that the expression: “What goes around, comes around,” seems to have some validity to it – certainly as far as I am concerned. When I have behaved badly – something I have been guilty of more often than I would like – there have been adverse consequences (which I well deserved). Conversely, I have been astonishingly lucky on many occasions; probably more than I deserve. Accordingly, I do believe there is some relationship between one’s behavior and luck. Either way, it is probably a good idea to be a decent human being - just in case.

The above reminds me of one of my favorite new venture jokes. I am supposed to have originated it – I wish I had – but I cannot claim authorship.

“If at first you don’t succeed; well… so much for skydiving!”