Dreadful, dreadful, DREADFUL

[pegkerr]

Mr. Earbrass has rashly been skimming through the early chapters, which he has not looked at for months, and now sees The Unstrung Harp for what it is. Dreadful, dreadful, DREADFUL. He must be mad to go on enduring the unexquisite agony of writing when it all turns out drivel. Mad. Why didn't he become a spy? How does one become one? He will burn the MS. Why is there no fire? Why aren't there the makings of one? How did he get in the unused room on the third floor?

Edward Gorey, The Unstrung Harp

Words so far today: 8. All 8 of them suck.
Reason for stopping: I was seized by an irresistable urge to reconcile my checkbook.
Mood: "I am a talentless hack. Except that I don't even put words out quite fast enough to be a considered a hack."
Notes: I try to console myself with the fact that at least I opened it and glared at it for awhile.

Comments

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

I hate to grin at your pain, although I do so know the feeling.

But this came just at the right time for me, because I'm writing an article on deadline tonight and oh WOW am I sick of it, so a good laugh was entirely needed. So, thank you.

[jbru.livejournal.com]

Hey, that's eight more words than I wrote on my novel.

And the fact that you opened and glared at it for a while means that you worked on it today! Hurray! Then you wrote eight words too!? That's more work on the book than you've done in weeks!

I say you get a cookie. A small one.

[averagegirl.livejournal.com]

At least you're staring it down. ;)

[pameladean]

Glaring is an important part of the process. Eric and I sometimes call it "stewing."

Pamela

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

I'm all about the glaring.

And the long, irritated walks.

A nugget of inspiration for your perceived mood

[jbru.livejournal.com]

Since you seem to be in the mood for this, I humbly offer:

http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/000917.html

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

*Laughs* Thank you!

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

I love The Unstrung Harp -- it begins on my birthday, and describes my writing procedure (though I don't wear the sweater front-side-back) pretty clearly.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, The Unstrung Harp is a godsend for writer types.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

It's all part of the process.

But you know that.

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

Well, it's eight words more than I've written on my dissertation today, and I've been sitting at this computer for an hour. (I'm just about to get started. Really. An hour from now will find me typing like a demon. Except that I'll just check my friends page first...)

[jemyl.livejournal.com]

No, Peg, you are not a hack. I would guess that you are still physically and emotionally a bit drained after your weekend of worry. You still have written more words today than I have. I keep finding other things to do rather than write. I think I shall take my own advice, what it would be, for you and go play with words for a while, just being silly and funny and see what comes out. It should relieve some of my own tension.

Eight words is good!

[harryleblanc.livejournal.com]

I've been avoiding writing ever since I got to California. I've been stuck in this liminal limbo for weeks now. I'm hoping that I'll get into a rhythm when school starts. I actually got some great critique on a story I wrote at a workshop in Oregon earlier this summer, so I've got a great roadmap for rewrites. Am I doing them? Hollow laugh.
The Unstrung Harp is such a delight. So wickedly true.