Daniel Howell is 21 and from Carmarthen. Having always loved reading, Daniel knew by the time he was a teenager that writing a novel himself was inevitable. He has won prizes in several poetry competitions, including the Wenlock Poetry Festival and the Buxton Poetry Competition, where he recited his work. He has experimented with journalism by doing some volunteer publicity work for his Judo Club and has also created a YouTube channel where he published book reviews. He is completing his current writing project of a series of 12 science fiction novellas, which he started three and a half years ago.
How do you envisage the programme will help you in terms of your development?
“As an unpublished writer, I believe that the biggest obstacle to fulfilling my writing goals will be getting my work noticed. It is notoriously difficult for a novice writer to find a publisher from scratch, who is willing to invest in their book(s). So I feel that this programme would be an excellent opportunity for me to make valuable contacts, and to learn more about mainstream publishing. I am also extremely passionate about the processes and techniques that go into crafting a story, and feel that this programme will offer me chances to learn from more experienced novelists.”
What are you most looking forward to as part of the programme? What are you hoping to achieve by taking part?
“I am most looking forward to learning how to navigate the publishing world, and hope that by taking part, I will soon possess the tools needed to forge a career as a novelist.”
As a writer, where would you like to be in 5 years?
“I’ve dreamed of writing professionally ever since I learned how to read. However, I’ve always had to fit writing in around my studies or my employment. In five years time, I would like for my current and future writing projects to be financially successful enough that I can afford to write as a full time job.”