Jenny’s post just now reminded me, through a maze of twisty mental passages, all alike, that I received a letter from a friend today. Nothing strange about that. What was a little bit strange is that my friend has written a draft of a book—a novel—and is about to start editing it. He’s asked me to take a look in a month or two, and tell him if it’s any good.
Now, before the rest of you start going and getting ideas, I should explain that Nigel is a very good friend, I believe he can write; and I showed him Josh Olson’s rant and only then said I’d do it (this Seussization of that rant is superb, by the way).
Why am I telling you this? Well, it’s not because he’s taken a rather startling event from the end of my DPhil as the basis of his plot, nor because it sounds like Lab Lit. I mention it because I’ve been completely crap at writing recently, but for some reason I don’t feel jealous that he’s managed to finish his book first: rather, I am chuffed to pieces and feel spurred to action.
Similarly, I don’t feel jealous of Jenny’s nicely lined-up kit, nor her writing of papers. There is a very slight pang because dammit, I enjoyed doing all that, and I don’t get to do it any more; but most of all I am happy that she and other people here are still doing good science. It makes me happy even if I can’t take a direct part in it (even if she still hasn’t let me come in to split her cells—come to that, SCurry isn’t letting me near his x-ray sets, the tight-fisted barsteward). It’s not jealousy, but rather a vicarious chuffedness. And it inspires me to do more, do better myself.
So, I’m going to have a look at that half-written short story. Straight after I finish worrying about the cicadas in Eva’s recording for the next LabLit podcast…
And I do hope that f1000 will feature all your papers, too.
A little healthy, amiable competition is good for writers, I find.
We should have a write-off. As opposed to a write off.
That sounds like grant writing season to me.
Cicadas? Were there really cicadas? I know it was outside, but that’s because inside was a power drill that echoed from all the walls.
I mean, I meant there to be cicadas. It’s…art…
(And I’ll write you an intro once I am back from orchestra, which is in 3.5 hours)
I knew something would eventually bringme to register here. Hello, Nature Network. How ARE you all today?!
Yay! Nige!
I’ll gladly partake of the write-off. Well, if I ever get around to finishing up several half-baked ideas and submitting another story to Henry for Futures. You’d think writing flash fiction wouldn’t require much time…
Flash or slash?
Considering my tendency to go well beyond the word limit in the first draft, perhaps slash would be more appropriate.
A write-off? Sounds fun. Unfortunately I am devoid of creative ideas (permanently) and completely unable to do anything on time (I am expecting large, dark-suited gentlemen from F1000 to knock on my door any time now). But in principle, I’m in, even if Richard (Grant) will not read my f…ing script.
November is, traditionally, national novel writing month (they don’t seem to take “national” literally). LabLit write-off?
Yeah. That gives me October to clear all this shit off my plate.
October and two weeks, even!
Ssh. You’re disturbing me.
I didn’t know about National Novel Writing Month! Are there novelists that can write books by only working one month out of twelve?
Apparently.
I’m not making any comment on quality, mind.
Only 15% of people actually finish within that time, and it’s more about quantity.
cough Dan Brown cough
You know, I have his book, and I can’t even get rid of it. It’s going for 1 cent on Amazon, and my friend who runs a second hand bookstore is already being overwhelmed with it and wants anything but that book. I have to keep it now. It’s cursed!
I am, on deeply-held principle, against the burning of books (although I have hurled one against the wall; and a second into the garden).
I might be persuaded to make an exception.
I might turn it into an altered-book craft project. Ooh, paging Kristi!
I wonder if this works with softcover books… I have all the supplies! It’s just that, if anyone broke into my house and looked for secret hiding places, it’s such an obvious place to look.
(And look, still on the topic of inspiration!)
Oh, that’s very odd. I made a comment here about knocking out walls and installing safe holes behind picture frames, but the internets ate my homework.
Eva – that Dan Brown book of yours is why there is a blue box program in Toronto. Trust me.
I can’t just recycle a book.
And, a second later (literally!) I spotted this linked on Facebook: The 20 worst sentences by Dan Brown
My friend – a professional (entertainment) writer – says “I’m impressed they narrowed it down to just 20”
I wondered what a blue box program was until Winty gave the game away.
Brilliant link, Eva.
staggeringly, clumsily, thoughtlessly, almost ingeniously bad
Eva – just donate the book to a shelter, or leave it at a hostel or bus stop or something. Someone would take it I’m sure!
This is where we find Eva’s put her name inside the cover and it will find its way back to her… to the ends of the earth.
Doomed. Doomed.
I actually had to check, but no, I didn’t! Phew!
It’ll find you. Like salmon hatchlings.
Salmon hatchlings have never managed to find me yet!
(And that analogy was a bit Dan Brownian…)
I thought it was quite inventive, TYVM.
sulks
Eva> I guess you can ship it* off to someone else cough and then it would be [my] their problem 😉
Overall though, I agree with the problem. What to do with books that noone really wants afterwards?
*we are talking about the “new” one right?
Try Bookcrossing – they give you a number which you can write in the front of the book, then if someone picks it up and registers it, you can track the book to see who picked it up, and maybe even what they thought of it!
No sulking, it’s not like my comments on writing are worth anything. I don’t even speak English.
Åsa, no, it’s the one everyone has already read.
Cath, that’s actually a good idea. I’ve used Bookcrossing before, but kind of forgot about it.
I’ve released a couple of books into the wild, but no-one ever registered them 🙁
Eva: ahh… well then, sorry, I can’t help you. I have two books like that too. I do think that I might have forgotten them at a hotel room once though 😉 (a very unresponsible way to hope that the cleaners don’t throw it in the trash but would they really?)
Ah, Eva, that link to the Dan Brown sentences was just what I needed. Thank you. 🙂
“It has the ring of utter ineptitude. The details have no relevance to what is being narrated.”
I can’t just recycle a book
It’s a Dan Brown book for goodness sake. Would you recycle a newspaper, or a Sears catalogue, or an old phone book? How about the paper bag your donut came in?
AsaCathEva, you do pretty well on our press releases.How did we start talking about DB, anyway?
…SCurry isn’t letting me near his x-ray sets…
Always interested in having new talent in the lab, provided you can work for nothing and bring your own consumables money…
BTW – we used our new kit for the first time in earnest this week – Rigaku Micromax007 equipped with CCD detector. Can collect high-res data with 10 sec exposures in the lab. Amazing!
sticks fingers in ears
LA LA LA I’M NOT LISTENING