I'd like to thank the 3-6 people who still check in here even though I don't. It's kind of like I went on vacation and left you all keys to feed the cat. You pop in, fill the bowl, take a look around to see if I'm into any weird shit, and quietly leave. I can hardly tell you've been here.I'd like to say that my frequent absences are a direct result of busting ass on the current manuscript, but that would be a lie, and here at Murphblog, we don't take lying lying down.
Here's what I've been doing:
1. Collecting rejections on the YA.
2. Thinking about, but not actually sending, more query letters.
3. Playing New Super Mario Bros. Wii. (Birthday gift)
4. Opening the work-in-progress, reading some of it, telling myself I suck and it sucks and no one anywhere at anytime in any dimension would ever want to read such poo, typing a few sentences, editing a few more, planning the next scene, deleting those plans, closing the laptop, and watching TV.
5. March Madness. Go State!
I've also, in a fit of either madness or inspired lucidity, allowed my work-in-progress to be read by Anita, who was kinder than the story probably deserves. She assured me that it does not suck, but instead of accepting this affirmation, I question her judgment. Nice guy, huh?
And because I'm in the writing doldrums, I find it hard to justify blogging. Remember in college when you had two hundred pages to read by tomorrow because you blew off a week of classes, and even though you knew there was this reading you were supposed to do, you instead played Bill Walsh College Football on your Sega Genesis, woke up "early" so you could watch Saved by the Bell reruns, and took a nap at 2:00 so you would be "ready" to head to the bars at 10:00?
And even though you liked reading and Stephen King finally got around to finishing the latest Dark Tower book, you didn't read it because you had all this required reading to do and even if you tried to read the DT book, you wouldn't enjoy it because a little voice in your head would say, "Shouldn't you be reading that really exciting university press book written by your prof about the history of Ghana?" And you'd listen to that voice. Sort of. You'd put down Stephen King and go play another game of Bill Walsh College Football.
For those who lost their way in that labyrinth of metaphor, a guide:
My work-in-progress is the required reading.
This blog is the new Dark Tower book.
And the New Super Mario Bros. Wii is Bill Walsh College Football.
Off to take on World 4.
12 comments:
I have the best judgment of anyone I know (not very modest, I get that), and I was thinking, "Wow, this is really good," when I was reading your manuscript. I think you need to just get it all down and then tighten everything up.
When I was in college, I watched almost zero television (except for the occasional BRONCO game). And I know how to play zero video-type games. I worked and studied, worked and studied. When I met my boyfriend's (now husband's) coach and he asked me what I liked to do in my spare time, I answered, "Polish my nails." That's all I had time for...a couple quick coats...the coach thought I was a loser, I'm sure. Whatevs.
I would wake up early for the Saved by the Bell and Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns. ;-)
It's always hard to justify blogging. I totally understand. Makes sense. And I recognize all that you describe here (I think every writer feels it no matter how good they are, the trick is just to get to the other side), except the doubting Anita thing. She does have the very best judgment of everyone.
Get back to work. You don't have to blog. Write a poem. Collect your poem together into a book. Spend one hour writing anything. It doesn't matter what.
TINA: Thank you!
PMM: You should be writing now. I hope you're writing. I'm going to start revisions as soon as my coffee's done, and when I have the first 50 pages revised, I'm sending them to you. So you better get as much writing as you can done now.
These TV programs and games you all played were so foreign to me, I couldn't even GET them.
Yes, Go State!
This is the only time I'll trade in my blue and maize for green and white this year. Just FYI.
I would've been playing World Series Baseball of said Sega Genesis. Best game ever. If it makes you feel any better, I haven't written in weeks, with packing and moving and unpacking, you've heard it all before...
(look around)
Okay, Murph isn't doing anything too weird, he's still sane... for now.
It's a good thing you neglected the closet, Tracy.
Okay--the feeding the cat thing got me laughing. I'm sorry that you are having a challenging writing life right now. I'd trust Anita, and be kind to yourself right now. There's nothing easy about the querying stage. And we're here, collectively, supportively lurking. And even if we've seen some weird shit around here, nobody's in the position to judge. :) You know, glass houses and all.
...in what is quickly becoming a sports post...you guys are soooo lucky my Buckeyes tripped and stumbled over Tennessee:( Sooooo lucky. Now for all that is fair and good in the world, PLEASE BEAT DUKE! Got them below Michigan on my upchuck list...oops.
I agree on the Buckeyes. Didn't want to see them again, both because I don't think we would've beat them (unless Deibler was going to throw up bricks like he did against UT) and because when Big Ten teams get together the result isn't pretty.
Michigan sucks so bad lately that it's almost becoming hard to hate them. Almost.
Screech is a loser. Your manuscript is not.
Trust Anita!
Rejection is never easy and can anyone into writing doldrums. Hope you find your way out!
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