I read in the paper today that Stephen Sondheim (him again) writes music lying on a sofa so that he can fall asleep when the going gets tricky. Which he says it does frequently.
This made me feel better about falling asleep while trying to reread my manuscripts, which happens with depressing regularity. It doesn’t seem to matter which of my books it is, they all put me to sleep.
This used to worry me. I mean, if they’re so dull they knock me unconscious, how do the poor readers feel? But I guess readers have the advantage of not having read the damn thing four hundred and fifty thousand times. And they’re less likely to have developed a loathing for the plot, characters and prose style contained therein.
One of the cheery writers on facebook today commented that although the process of publication may be a nightmare, at least the process of writing is pure joy.
Pure joy?
I’m tempted to ask which planet this person lives on.
Back here on Earth, I’ve got a few more revisions to do on the bastard manuscript from hell.
Might have a little lie-down first.
You and me both Meg…
Well, you’re DEFINITELY not boring.
It’s nothing to do with it being boring, it’s a taught response from reading in bed. That’s what I tell myself when the afternoon shutters threaten……
I often walk up the hill by my house to mull over a problem, or sit for a while on the sofa in my studio to think about a painting. I usualy wake up about an hour later.
But I have a bone to pick with you young Meg Rosoff! Have been reading Just In Case, plucked from my shelf after a short period of book berievement when I read nothing for a few days and it is keeping me awake. It is something of a modern classic I think. Only just over half way through…….wonderful
Thank you, Jackie. Just the kind of bones I like.
My copy is on its way. Can’t wait. I also sent Meet Wild Boars to a young book pal (and ordered a copy for me, at the same time. My cat loves it when I read out loud to her; seriously. Maybe she’ll even learn a thing or two about behaving well, when there’s company).
I think Meet Wild Boars is probably my masterpiece, Shelley, though nobody noticed but me. I’m sure your cat will like it. Thank you for doubling my sales in America!
An aside, on sofas. Mine is a common or garden variety from Pottery Barn. But, without fail, every one who has stayed with me and slept on it remarks it’s the most comfortable sofa they’ve ever slept on. One friend even tried to hoist it over my balcony. When caught, she claimed she was going to swap it out with her bed so that other guests would have something to sit and sleep on. (How she would have hoisted the bed UP to the balcony still boggles my mind).
Your lurchers would, no doubt, love it. Sadly, though, I found out that lurchers eat cats. So, if you ever need a comfy sofa in a matchbox apt. overlooking the back of the Dakota, you’re welcome to it. And the lurchers are welcome, too. But they’d have to stay on the balcony. And I’d need some lead time: to fit the balcony Dutch door with lurcher proof glass. The cat would no doubt retreat to where she always does when people visit: beneath the sofa.
Very tempting, Shelley, though I’d be nervous staying at a place with such a loony neighbour (over the balcony? Really??). Luckily, the lurchers don’t have passports. I suspect they’d love foreign food….