The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
My favorite commercial is one that has been running for a couple of years, at the end of August-beginning of September, in which a father is shown scooting up and down the aisles of a big-box office supplies store on a shopping cart, while that old Andy Williams Christmas song plays. Behind him, like tiny refugees from a funeral march, are a boy and girl. It's the back to school season.
What this means, of course, is that Christmas break, as lovely as it was, is over, and I'm back to work on the book. For me, the first few days after a break are always frustrating, filled with moments of lovely inspiration and moments of slogginess, where my brain appears to need to have its synapses cleaned. I spend a good deal of time staring out windows. On the other hand, sometimes a break will give me fresh eyes to see what should not be there, or what I omitted in the first pass. Given that this particular book has been very recalcitrant (no fewer than five starts--two of them well over a hundred pages!) fresh eyes are very useful.
Off to find a window to stare out of...
What this means, of course, is that Christmas break, as lovely as it was, is over, and I'm back to work on the book. For me, the first few days after a break are always frustrating, filled with moments of lovely inspiration and moments of slogginess, where my brain appears to need to have its synapses cleaned. I spend a good deal of time staring out windows. On the other hand, sometimes a break will give me fresh eyes to see what should not be there, or what I omitted in the first pass. Given that this particular book has been very recalcitrant (no fewer than five starts--two of them well over a hundred pages!) fresh eyes are very useful.
Off to find a window to stare out of...
posted by Madeleine Robins at 7:50 AM
4 Comments:
Ever since you posted this, I've had the song stuck in my head. But I have to say, it's a very pleasant earworm, as earworms go.
How goes the writing?
When I was working at Tor, Claire Eddy and I would meet in the hallway every morning to synchronize our earworms; we both had tiny children, which meant we both saw a certain amount of early morning Sesame Street, and would check to find out which song had worked its way into our heads. I can still sing any number of them (I kinda miss Sesame Street some mornings).
Laura! Lovely to see your phosphors! Drop by any time!
Mad
I am usually quite vulnerable to earworms, but am missing this one. I think low-grade frustration (kids home sick the first two days of the new week, and school weather closings the next two) and low-grade pain (convalesence is slow) are keeping the beasts at bay.
Are you retyping printout into a new file, Mad?
Yes, Greg. New files, one per chapter. Even the appearence of activity makes me feel useful.
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