I just spent the last 5 hours writing two paragraphs. This is serious. The first paragraph is three sentences (one is rather long). The second paragraph contains one sentence. A short one. I don't even think they're that good. In fact, I think I liked whatever I wrote the first time around, at about 5 o'clock earlier this evening when I first sat down at my computer, but now I have no idea what it was. I just emerged from this vortex of word-fiddling and was like, I am so hungry, What did I just do to myself?
I was all set to start with this one thing, involving various abstractions like I usually do, but then I decided I should learn from the past and do something different, and now I've screwed myself into a dark, indecisive corner.
In self-consolation, at times like these I like to remember some Gary Lutz wisdom from a few years back. I attended one of his readings and during the Q & A section, someone asked if his current writing was going well. He said something to the extent of: No, my writing is not going well. My writing is never going well. And the people who say their writing is going well are the people I am not interested in reading. So maybe I can wrestle some goodness from this disaster. But not right now; I need a sandwich and television.
I once wrote a rather long sentence--or rather a long sentence if you are a limey. Someday I think I would like to do it again, but I don't want to end up in a dark, indecisive corner; the prospect is really quite alarming.
ReplyDeleteBut if I could be guaranteed a sandwich I might consider it.
my writing is always going well
ReplyDeletethen i guess you'll never fully appreciate the consolation of a sloppy baoguette and an episode of "intervention"
ReplyDeletebut that's good; i'm happy for you
don't worry friend it was only a joke. Where are you? I am looking for you.
ReplyDeletei am busy like a grad student moving to brooklyn
ReplyDelete