Bird by bird
I’ve mentioned this in “New Stars on the Horizon” already. By the way, we’re going to be renaming “New Stars on the Horizon” some point soon. My proposed name is “Readings and Recommendings” (::rubs hands together with slitted eyes:: “my precious”).
Anyway, when despairing of ever being able to re-write Dragonsblood — shh! don’t tell anyone — I discovered a couple of salutary things:
1) Go to a bookstore and walk around if you’re book’s not going well.
2) Read “Bird by bird” by Anne Lamott. She’s very funny and knows a lot about writers and writing.
I’ll quote a nice bit because I think it explains a lot:
” My writer friends, and they are legion, do not go around beaming with quiet feelings of contentment. Most of them go around with haunted, abused, surprised looks on their faces, like lab dogs on whom very personal deodorant sprays have been tested.”
— from the Introduction, page xxx
Yes, exactly! She’s got it right.