Saturday, May 15, 2010

so much to do and so little time

"So much to do and so little time", Churchill told secretary when he told him he had drunk half a traincar of liquor. We must all feel that way for sure.

Once again I want to start a new version of the book, probably my tenth version, listing all the anecdotes I can think and interlace them with current comments. there are the stories I tell whenever I get into the past stories during my talks to schools or in private. I don't know why some people knock out books like sausages, as Joyce Carol Oates does with great success. She says she does not know what a writer's block is. Some writer have one book in them, and that's it. Catcher in the Rye, Catch 22, Invisible Man and so on. I believe I have one book in me. I have tried several version, all of them I keep but give up on. Some sections I will keep for sure, because they work and friends who have read the mss still remember those passages. I like what Nick Flynn did with his books. Short chapters, almost poetic. And he tells his story, but touches on universal themes, homelessness and alcohol addiction. It certainly is not hopeless since he did well and recovered enough to be able to put it all down in a wonderful manner. So much to do and so little time.