Red Mosquito

spike wrote:terrible, it implies that you're not yet actually out.

I’ll ask for your input next time, hemingway.

At least this latest rejection letter came on Monday morning, instead of Sunday afternoon. It should be illegal to send rejection letters on Sundays. Mondays were built for rejection. You have the whole week to bounce back!

That's the spirit, lad.

Writers,

when you're writing,

how many words do you write a day? On average?

Towards your current writing project(s).

(Not to say that any amount is good or bad, more or less impressive. Everyone has their own rhythm and output is not a measure of quality)

I'd say I average about 1600-2000 words a day.

Again, when I'm actively working on something. I'm not always writing every single day

5,000

The hardest part about writing is to get everything written down before you no longer believe in what you're writing.

I had a very surreal experience at my brother's wedding last weekend. The wedding was, of course, filled with people I know, but there were also plenty of work friends or people he's become friendly with since our lives seriously diverged, so I was being introduced to people all night. I also gave a toast, so another running theme of the evening was people I did not know introducing themselves to me to talk about that. I have not had direct contact or talked to this many people in 1 day since my own wedding, probably, which was 7 and a half years ago.

So after the wedding reception, we were bussed back to the hotel and--after assuring the front desk that there would be no fighting--allowed to have the after party in the lobby. This building used to be a Masonic temple before being converted into a hotel, so it had soaring arches and columns, the whole nine. Along with not seeing this many people in so long, I also hadn't tied one on like this in a number of years, but by 2:30AM there was only Coors Light left (so, basically, water), and I started to sober up. Still, I just sat on this one comfy couch and didn't move for nearly 3 hours, and people came to talk to me instead of me having to find people to chat with. It felt very regal. A woman sat down next to me, and I found out she was married to one of my brother's friends from the Irish American club, and--I want to stress here that this is absolutely true--we proceeded to have the dame conversation 4 times. She asked me about me and my brothers and my sister, who was the oldest and youngest, where we all live, and so on, and then she would turn to someone else to say something, then turn back to me and we would have the same conversation again. This happened 4 times. And I thought I was drunk.

Anyway, this woman's husband comes over at one point--they call him Chicago because he's the only one in their group of friends from Chicago--and she introduced me to him, and I reached out a hand to shake his. I'm still sitting at this point, so he's sort of like hovering over me, and instead of taking my hand and shaking it, he grasps my hand with both of his hands, and he leans down, and the first thing he says to me isn't hi; it's: "I read your book." This was the surreal experience. The book that I wrote and self-published more than 10 years ago barely ever enters my mind, maybe once every other month, and I've basically given up on ever consistently writing anything ever again. I can't recall the last time someone else mentioned it to me. I can barely remember the plot anymore (Bolaño once said that he never re-reads his own works, because it's against his religion), and I don't remember it being any good. But, still, this was one of the greatest compliments I've ever received.

I remember it being any good. And, yeah, wow, that's a cool experience, I'd bet

Cool story. I genuinely want to read your book again now.

Also, did they proposition a 3-way? And did you Biff the response?

What is the name of this book?

how do you stop yourself from asking questions and just make a damn decision on a book sometimes?

Submission deadlines.

Are You still going to Pearl Jam?

had a bit of a breakthrough with my book last night after proverbially bashing my head against brick walls for a month!

Ms Harmless wrote:had a bit of a breakthrough with my book last night after proverbially bashing my head against brick walls for a month!

Yes! Love to hear it. Keep up the good work!

All my ideas become westerns or post apocalyptic. I'm basically just like Cormac McCarthy. No real difference.