Monday 8 October 2012

Words are like arrows


Somewhere, not too far from here, a group of disparate but conjoined people sit frozen in a time of crisis, waiting for me to tell them what to do next.

They have been in this condition of stasis for over ten years now, and I really ought to go back and see how they are getting on.

A few years ago, I contacted a well-known and successful British playwright to tell him how much I was enjoying his current series of radio drama and he politely emailed me back to thank me for my comments and tell me what a joy it was to record them with the set of brilliant character actors who make up the cast.

It turned out we had a few heroes in common, and he let me into a few secrets about unspecified references, as well as keeping me up to date with forthcoming series, etc.

Then about two weeks ago, episode one of series one was replayed and I listened to it afresh, and I was reminded why I had found it so appealing in the first place.

About fifteen years ago - long before episode one - I had begun a story which contained many of the ingredients that his drama has, strung together with (I hope) a similar line in dark humour. I put it down about halfway through, and one of the reasons I have not picked it up again is because his drama seemed to do the job just as well, and there would - it seemed to me at the time - be less reason to struggle on with mine.

Anyway, I emailed him again a couple of weeks ago to say how much I enjoyed listening to episode one again, and mentioned in passing that one of the reasons why it had such appeal to me in the first place was because of the coincidental ingredients which my little story and his had in common. I added that he should not worry, as I never bothered professional writers by asking for any opinions on whatever I had produced.

He emailed back to say that my tale sounded more like a novel than a story, and he asked if I ever finished it. I replied by saying that it was - in fact -  a half-finished novel. Unfortunately, I then committed the cardinal sin against professional writers - a sin which I had promised not to commit in my previous email: I suggested that I sent him a couple of chapters in PDF format, so he could tell me whether or not it was worth continuing with. That was about 8 days ago, and I haven't heard from him since.

Despite the little voice in my head telling me not to press the 'send' button, I pressed it anyway. My unhinged reasoning told me that at least some of his time was spent in teaching creative writing to young students, but it failed to tell me that this was a job for which he was paid, and the pay for it helped supplement his own work, for which he is also paid. I suppose I could have offered him money for his advice, but somehow that would have seemed even more desperate.

Now I feel like a complete arse, and I am - unlike his fresh-faced and ambitious students - just too far advanced in age to be feeling like that.

26 comments:

  1. given your longstanding but sporadic correspondence , I suspect that he will be in touch after a proper "review" of the chapters tom....
    I think you have hall the makings of a good novelist
    your write very well, you have a broad and varied view on the world and you can down a pint effortlessly!

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    1. I didn't actually send him any of it, John. I was waiting for his permission. I might be waiting for a while... Thanks for your kinds words - the last ones were the most accurate, I fear.

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    2. sorry I misunderstood...
      nowI understand your "anxiety"
      well suffice to say if you wrote a novel
      I would read it

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  2. Oh Tom ....struggle on with it PLEASE ........ I'm already interested in the group of people that are waiting to carry on with their dark and probably complicated lives..... I'm sure that it differs from the one on the radio and it must be better to think that he is reading it properly and digesting it before he comments. I bet you get an email today ....... who do you think will play the characters in the film version ? !!!! No pressure !
    PS: Love the photograph of H.I. .... did you take it ? XXXX

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    1. I'm obviously on the same wavelength as John and thought that you had sent it ....... he is probably busy.....you'll be hearing from him soon. I can feel it in my water ! XXXX

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  3. It's true: that wasn't the right thing to do. At all.

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  4. I once shoved a dog eared, half completed manuscript under the noses of a successful author and a BBC correspondent who were staying with me. They politley read a few pages and the skimmed a few more more. Unable to contain myself, I asked them what they thought.

    'It needs work, lots of work but that's what editors are for. Jesus Tom, you need to finish this'.

    I never did. Now which is the greater crime?

    Carpe Diem, Tommy S.

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  5. In my day I was a painter-worrier. I'd telephone, visit, and ask advice. Later in life I 'occasionally' became the worried, with students visiting me to ask MY advice. Usually I would suggest that the worried are flattered to be worried. Both worrier and worried support each other. SEND.

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    1. p.s. You're getting good mileage from that picture.

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    2. That's one of my best pictures. If I ever did publish on demand, then that's the cover.

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  6. Oh, hell! Couldn't you send him an 'apology' e-mail and explain to him your chagrin?

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  7. Dearest Tom. Your blog is high on my list of favorites. It is not read without a large cup of coffee and an empty house as it is always to be savored. Your rhythm of words, sometimes harsh, always well constructed, usually encouraging PUSH ME towards improved writing in my own soon to be completed novel. In other words...TO HELL...with public opinion. Keep writing. Now could you send me that chaps contact info? I have a few items to run by him.

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    1. Ha ha! That's kind, Donna. Don't get me wrong - I think I know quite accurately the worth of the raw thing, but that's not the whole issue, is it?

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  8. I have a bunch of half written rubbish that i keep meaning to do something with, only i don't. The few times i showed bits of it to good writers they told me i ought to continue. The one time i sent an ms of a child's book to a children's lit publisher, i got a rejection notice and six months later saw a child's lit book with the same title minus one word published by this same publisher.

    I've decided if i do sally into the world of creative writing and have something i'd like to see published, i'll do it myself.

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    1. Good luck, but I - personally - would like to make at least a small amount of money for a few year's work.

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  9. Would you be insulted if a novice stone carver ask if you could look at a couple of photos of their work and give an opinion...I think not.

    People forever ask people of other professions for opinions...ask your doctor friends how much advice people try to get over drinks out...

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    1. I am never insulted by young and enthusiastic stone-carvers showing me their portfolios, but as soon as I see the 'Green Man' carving, then I politely tell them to fuck off.

      An actor friend of mine was saying that he never recruited young actors who admitted to having been in the West End version of 'Oliver!', and the young actor sitting next to us at the time said, "I was, but you still hired me."

      "Why?" asked my friend.

      "Because I never told you - I already knew that I wouldn't get a job if I did."

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  10. Have you thought of finishing it roughly and then submitting it to write 50,000 words in 30 days - the November writing challenge (go to www.nanowrimo.org for details).
    You never know though Tom, that chap might return it yet.
    Sorry about the print on my blog and the closeness of the script - I am still struggling to come to terms with the new Blogger - so please don't get new specs - I shall have it sorted out some time soon.

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    1. And - in turn - good luck with your new Blogger interface, Weave.

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