Creative Wanking
I met an old friend for coffee on University Place. Both writers, we bemoaned the evils of editing and editors, having no money and no workmates, and yet having the best job in the world.
"D'you know," I said. "I got so bored of my own company, in the end I thought 'fuck it', and applied for an MFA at NYU and Columbia, just so I could get out of the house a bit more. I don't really want to do it. I can't imagine anything worse than having a bitter and twisted forty-year old who's never been published tell me I'm a talentless bitch and should use less verbs. But at least it would take up a bit of time."
My friend's face assumed a mask of momentary panic.
"Oh, you don't want to do one of those things, no real writer does those...."
"No, don't worry, they rejected me! For the second time!"
He breathed a sigh of relief, leaned over, and shook my hand.
"Congratulations. Now that means you can write."
I just finished editing the first draft of the US version of the book, which is due out, provisionally, in September 2008, and will be printed by Penguin US, edited by Carole DeSanti. I still don't know what it's going to be called though as no one likes the title 'Lapdogs' (these are the same people who asked me if I'd gone into rehab to quit smoking - yanks). And nor do they like my real name, so standby for a rebirth as Ermintrude Manhattan or something 'sexy'...
In the UK who knows who the fuck will publish this thing! Who'd have me? I wouldn't, that's for damned sure!
"D'you know," I said. "I got so bored of my own company, in the end I thought 'fuck it', and applied for an MFA at NYU and Columbia, just so I could get out of the house a bit more. I don't really want to do it. I can't imagine anything worse than having a bitter and twisted forty-year old who's never been published tell me I'm a talentless bitch and should use less verbs. But at least it would take up a bit of time."
My friend's face assumed a mask of momentary panic.
"Oh, you don't want to do one of those things, no real writer does those...."
"No, don't worry, they rejected me! For the second time!"
He breathed a sigh of relief, leaned over, and shook my hand.
"Congratulations. Now that means you can write."
I just finished editing the first draft of the US version of the book, which is due out, provisionally, in September 2008, and will be printed by Penguin US, edited by Carole DeSanti. I still don't know what it's going to be called though as no one likes the title 'Lapdogs' (these are the same people who asked me if I'd gone into rehab to quit smoking - yanks). And nor do they like my real name, so standby for a rebirth as Ermintrude Manhattan or something 'sexy'...
In the UK who knows who the fuck will publish this thing! Who'd have me? I wouldn't, that's for damned sure!
MIMI IN NY | 5:55 PM |
