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CNN has a link to an article about author Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book." I thought his observation about the 25 years it took him to write and polish this novel were insightful:
quote:Gaiman, 47, says it took him so long to write "The Graveyard Book" because he kept putting off the idea until he became a better writer.
If it took HIM 25 years to write the book he envisioned, that means there's still hope for the rest of us!
I have no friggin' idea how he remained objective after 25 years on the same project. Holy cow.
I can't even fathom it.
Inkwell ------------------ "The difference between a writer and someone who says they want to write is merely the width of a postage stamp." -Anonymous
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wow, i had to pick up my chair after falling backwards. please noooooooooo. 25 years?!? actually thats motivating...... excuse me, i feel an urge to write now......
Posts: 171 | Registered: Oct 2008
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In 1981, I stumbled into the story I have wanted to share since then. I too had to learn how to write, to write that story, because it's a powerful one. Never been done, though similar stories, one, have been tried in other ways. I'm still two years out from fruition.
Posts: 6037 | Registered: Jun 2008
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Stephen R. Donaldson says he didn't dare write The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant until he felt like he was ready; and that was a span of at least 20 years. Probably more.
Posts: 386 | Registered: Sep 2008
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Wow, I had thought Neil Gaiman much younger than 47, so I'm doubly pleased after reading the linked article, both to learn that fact and that he felt a need to sort of "grow into" writing the story.
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I believe Stephen King had a period of a couple decades between book 1 and 2 of the Dark Tower series.
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I came up with a concept for a young adult story when I was 16. It didn't occur to me until just now that my oldest daughter was 16 when I finally completed Metzgerhund Empire.
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