"I KEEP MINE HIDDEN"
Here. That's me yesterday. A shadow makes me look like I have only one tooth and that, folks, makes me laugh, as anyone who knows me is well aware that I am a dental obsessor. Can anyone read the Post-It?
The editing process, when I am really focused on it, brings out my hermit side. I have, actually, more than a few projects going on this week, all of them needing my prompt attention, so my attention-span is good, at least, despite the stress. The only problem arrises in explaining to non-writers why I'm off the radar.
And, that's why, to me, writers are fine people to deal with, generally speaking, though I have met a few exceptions. We thrive on being left the hell alone.
Every writer has his/her rituals, things we do when we have to shut out the world and focus. Some eat only one food until it's all over. Some chain smoke. Some refuse to bathe until the storm has passed. I need a particular pair of shorts and an endless supply of bottled water. And, for some reason, when I'm under the crunch, everything I eat gets lots of hot sauce. Whatever. A far cry from the Hemmingway-ish boozeathon some aspire to in the literary mystique, but it's what makes me go.
Jun 8, 2006
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9 comments:
Marry me?
Keep with it, we all have our own rituals (that all inevitably involve shutting out the outside world). It can be a little difficult at times, but the quality of your work is most important in the end.
I'll convert! I will! I swear on my life, I'll convert right now if you'll marry me.
I'm not kidding.
Actually, I don't think there's anything odd about drinking water or hotsauce obsessively while in a writing groove. For as long as I can remember, my writing ritual has involved not wearing pants. I'll sit at my desk and refuse to wear pants for as long as it takes to finish a project. I wish I was kidding about that. And I wish any of my neighbors thought this was nearly as charming as I do. I just can't focus if the "boys" feel confined in any way.
Speaking of weird rituals, did you know that James Joyce wrote "Ulysses" while wearing nothing but a leopard-skin speedo? Strange but true.
Hey, Jake. Take a number. There are about three dozen of us ahead of you. And we have the advantage of NOT being a fictional character from a John Hughes movie.
Yeah, I'll take a number. I'll wait in that line. (Sorry to be less-than-a-gentleman, Ms. Guth, but you are quite pretty.)
Do I have a shot? I've been told before that I'm a "good little helper."
You're gorgeous and paying hommage to The Smiths is a good idea for your blog. I look forward to your reading if your book brings you to San Jose.
Alas, no, I can't read what's written on the Post-It. But my mind boggles at the possibilities. Will the mystery be solved with the publication of your novel? Perhaps each copy will include a Amy Guth decoder ring, which readers can use to decipher hidden messages in your blog. Is this the case? Please say it's true. Any reason to gaze at your lovely face for hours - under the guise of cracking some secret literary code - is fine by me.
Look forward to meeting you if you do a reading in Phoenix.
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