I came across this quote from Ngaio Marsh when reading Margret Lewis's biography of her Ngaio Marsh: A Life.
I thought this quote about the lot of professional writers most apt, especially at tax time:
"We worry and fumble and rehash. At two o'clock in the morning we get marvelous ideas and at eight o'clock the following evening we recognise those ideas for the nonsense they are. We have awful sessions when nothing goes right, and brief but blissful sessions when everything seems to go well. We worry ourselves sick about income tax. We have responsibilities. We do not work in a light-hearted, carefree fashion, all for fun. We do not wait for inspiration. We work because we've jolly well got to. But when all is said and done, we toil at this particular job because it's
turned out to be our particular job, and in a wierd sort of way I suppose we may be said to like it."
Broadcast talk on NZ Radio, 1 Jan 1957
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
4 comments:
In must be horrible to have to write because you have to. I haven't written anything to a deadline, I just meander in my own special time. I think mine is kind of the opposite, I don't fumble and rehash and shoot down new ideas - as once it hits the screen, it's usually there for good. Words will change, but the theme won't. I always write when I know where I am going.
Gah writing to a deadline, I don't think I would like it.
In = It
she has said it in a nutshell for me - particularly the 2am inspired ideas bit. I'm seriously procrastinating. I have NO excuses now. It's officially the school holidays. It's raining. I'm in my pjs still. The dogs are napping. The 13 year old is still in bed. The eldest is in Chch being famous singer person with the national secondary students choir. Hubby is bringing me cups of tea. The fire is roaring. No one else wants to use the lap top. I've read all the blogs I usually read. Scotland is waiting....waiting.
btw my word verification is 'the edit'
Great v-word Tania. I love some of the things they come up with.
Dave, deadlines have to be looked at as a challenge, rather than a chore, otherwise you'd just go mad...
Post a Comment