WAITING FOR CREATIVE INSPIRATION & FOR POND SCUM TO FORM HAVE MUCH IN COMMON

Well its been a while since my last post, and that is pretty much solely due to the novel, which is consuming great chunks of my day after work, and a lot of time otherwise, as my brain constantly tries to sort out narrative roadblocks, character dead ends etc. I would love to say I am overflowing with the joy of creative endeavour, but in reality, fun though it is to revisit the characters I now view as real beings and play God with their lives, a lot of my time is being spent getting the novel to a point where a publisher will welcome me with open arms, ply me with champagne and all expense paid trips to Paris in the Springtime, and make me the toast of literary scenes worldwide. Realistically, I will be happy if the publisher simply goes to the trouble to at least read the manuscript, and colour coordinate the rejection slip and envelope....then they can fly me to Paris to read the rejection slip. Yes, I will graciously let them salve their guilt at rejecting my fantasy epic by flying me somewhere to get over it.......now back in the real world - which I try to avoid inhabiting for too long given the poor food, boring job, and right wing politicians - I have just re-dne Chapter 11 and I only have 8 chapters to go and the epilogue so I am within sight of the end.....

Well, at least as it stands at the moment. I have been told that 90% of the work on the novel occurs after you get published, which is mildly frightening considering what it is requiring now. I guess the thing is at this point to concentrate on one step at a time - "baby steps, baby steps" - and hold on to what's left of my sanity as I do it. The big plus in all of this is that I get to use my brain to do things other than apologise to customers who believe God has bequeathed them the honour of occupying the centre of the universe - yep, sorry Galileo but the spot you thought was occupied by the Sun is actually home to Bill Smith of Steamrollovereveryone and Then BBQ Them Inc, and his charming Hitlerite secretary, Barbie Tiffany Biatch - and compose emails that outline the same thing I have just told the last 5000 customers. I am not entirely sure which side of the brain is the creative one, but these rewrites are its moment in the cerebral sun, as it finally elbows out all the useless work junk, and sprints off the bench, hopefully propelling me to the joy of creative fulfillment....oh, and a trip to Paris if it can manage it......