Another Thing

[llaeyro]

I just found this article by Mark Haddon (author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime). It's always nice, I think, to know that even the famous writers struggle like us fanficcers do.

'Some days I can’t write. Some weeks I can’t write. It wouldn’t be such a problem if I could identify those days and weeks in advance. I’d cut my losses and go on a long run up the Thames. I’d get in a box set of Scandi crime or take the train to London for a gallery crawl. I’d paint or draw. But the realisation dawns only around lunchtime after I’ve been staring at a blank screen for hours, or filling it with laboured, unconvincing prose that will need to be deleted later.'

You can read the whole article here.

Comments

[magnetic-pole.livejournal.com]

Thanks, L. Often professional or established writers seem to say "I write everyday from 6:00 a.m. to noon, no exceptions" or "I never stop until I hit 5000 words" or something similar--and I know that's true for some people, but it's good to see someone so successful admit that there are other ways of working. M.

[llaeyro]

I thought the same, although it's also a little depressing that things may well never get any easier x) But at least we're not alone, eh?

[dorsetgirl.livejournal.com]

This is wonderful - so pleased to see that successful, achieving people are totally useless sometimes. Definitely makes me feel better about my own failings.

[llaeyro]

I agree and that's why I wanted to share! I can't seem to find it now, and I didn't verify the quote at the time, but I remember reading a Rowling quote from many years ago. The gist was that many people wonder how she managed to be a single mother and write Harry Potter at the same time. Her response is that she didn't do any housework for at least seven years x) I don't know if it's true, but it stuck with me all the same.

[shiftylinguini.livejournal.com]

Ah, that is startlingly accurate haha. Especially the bit about realizing it in time to actually put energy into alternative productivity, instead of just plugging away at not writing.

<3

[llaeyro]

Yeah I totally know his pain... except when I finally get it right, no one pays me for it xD