Writing Tales, Triumphs, and Tribulations: Crazed Life

February 27, 2005

Crazed Life

There is so much so much so much, that I just haven't known where to start or what to write, or even when to find the time to write. . . This plan of mine to start doing more magazine writing again has just, well, exploded. And that is good (money, enjoyment, feelings of self-esteem) and bad (what is up with this whole WORK thing??)

And -- in no surprise to anyone who has ever listened to somebody talk about their shrink -- being psyched about all these fun jobs come coupled with moments of ridiculous panic.

1) I handed in my dolphin article to Discover and am convinced it was the worst, loosest, least technical article I have ever put together ever and ditto that the editor has ever seen ever. And they will never contact me again or let me write for them again.

2) I spent this past weekend in Banff at a physics conference and in between the moments of really enjoying myself (all conferences should be at ski resorts, clearly) and reveling in the science and getting to talk to all these scientists. . . was the absolute humbling horror that perhaps I just didn't understand a single thing. (It didn't really help that the physicists could also completely out-ski me.)

3) I decided to apply to a mid-career fellowship in Boston for next year, since I've been riding this high enjoying my work, getting good jobs, etc. And then on the flight home from Canada today I realized it's actually going to be hard for me to put together the number of clips they want from the last 24 months, since I spent 18 of those months working on the Einstein book and the Kepler/Brahe book. Plummeting ensued.

4) And then come questions like -- so with all this work when am I going to fit in fiction writing?

Posted by karenceliafox at February 27, 2005 11:58 PM

Comments

First of all, congratulations on all the work! When you fell silent for so long, I feared the worst, like a part-time job working the fryer at Hardee's.

As for the fiction thing: write 250 words a day. Since you're acclimated to working in volume and quickly, 250 words will slip past before you even realize what's happening, and one page a day means a completed (or near-complete) manuscript at the end of the year's time.

It's the not an exciting pace, but it IS something that can be fit around your other commitments, but still allows for steady forward movement on your fiction project.

Posted by: James at February 28, 2005 07:25 AM

On a totally unrelated topic, did you see the Einstein-Gödel piece in last week's New Yorker? I was wondering what you thought of it.

Posted by: mike d at February 28, 2005 04:40 PM

Hi Karen,
Seems like my comments seem to drift from actual writing to the process of surviving the process but when I recieve those little gems of wisdom, I refuse to keep them to myself. It is a sharing is caring type of concept. I think that to gain a knowledge of anything, you have to admit to know nothing. Once we convince ourselves of our own superiority in knowledge then we shut down our ability to listen and sadly enough the ability to learn. They have practicing physicians and practicing lawyers. It's a appropriate term since their knowledge is incomplete and they are still involved in the paint-by-numbers experiences that makes them better at their profession. Why can't they have the title of practicing human being? I guess if we admit we know less then that implies we are less of a human being for it, oh that dangerous pride! I have more respect for a person that is honest enough to admit they lack knowledge and asks to be taught then someone who fools themselves to believe they know and walks away with nothing. From one practicing human being to another, Our failures is our successes under constuction. take care.
Merrill Butterman Jr.

Posted by: Merrill Butterman at February 28, 2005 05:31 PM



My newest book will be out in July. Preorder it now -- just click on it, go to Amazon, and help me earn royalties! And you can still buy my last book, The Big Bang Theory. Powered by Movable Type 2.661			« Back in the Saddle \| Main \| Good Editors » February 27, 2005 Crazed Life There is so much so much so much, that I just haven't known where to start or what to write, or even when to find the time to write. . . This plan of mine to start doing more magazine writing again has just, well, exploded. And that is good (money, enjoyment, feelings of self-esteem) and bad (what is up with this whole WORK thing??) And -- in no surprise to anyone who has ever listened to somebody talk about their shrink -- being psyched about all these fun jobs come coupled with moments of ridiculous panic. 1) I handed in my dolphin article to Discover and am convinced it was the worst, loosest, least technical article I have ever put together ever and ditto that the editor has ever seen ever. And they will never contact me again or let me write for them again. 2) I spent this past weekend in Banff at a physics conference and in between the moments of really enjoying myself (all conferences should be at ski resorts, clearly) and reveling in the science and getting to talk to all these scientists. . . was the absolute humbling horror that perhaps I just didn't understand a single thing. (It didn't really help that the physicists could also completely out-ski me.) 3) I decided to apply to a mid-career fellowship in Boston for next year, since I've been riding this high enjoying my work, getting good jobs, etc. And then on the flight home from Canada today I realized it's actually going to be hard for me to put together the number of clips they want from the last 24 months, since I spent 18 of those months working on the Einstein book and the Kepler/Brahe book. Plummeting ensued. 4) And then come questions like -- so with all this work when am I going to fit in fiction writing? Posted by karenceliafox at February 27, 2005 11:58 PM Comments First of all, congratulations on all the work! When you fell silent for so long, I feared the worst, like a part-time job working the fryer at Hardee's. As for the fiction thing: write 250 words a day. Since you're acclimated to working in volume and quickly, 250 words will slip past before you even realize what's happening, and one page a day means a completed (or near-complete) manuscript at the end of the year's time. It's the not an exciting pace, but it IS something that can be fit around your other commitments, but still allows for steady forward movement on your fiction project. Posted by: James at February 28, 2005 07:25 AM On a totally unrelated topic, did you see the Einstein-Gödel piece in last week's New Yorker? I was wondering what you thought of it. Posted by: mike d at February 28, 2005 04:40 PM Hi Karen, Seems like my comments seem to drift from actual writing to the process of surviving the process but when I recieve those little gems of wisdom, I refuse to keep them to myself. It is a sharing is caring type of concept. I think that to gain a knowledge of anything, you have to admit to know nothing. Once we convince ourselves of our own superiority in knowledge then we shut down our ability to listen and sadly enough the ability to learn. They have practicing physicians and practicing lawyers. It's a appropriate term since their knowledge is incomplete and they are still involved in the paint-by-numbers experiences that makes them better at their profession. Why can't they have the title of practicing human being? I guess if we admit we know less then that implies we are less of a human being for it, oh that dangerous pride! I have more respect for a person that is honest enough to admit they lack knowledge and asks to be taught then someone who fools themselves to believe they know and walks away with nothing. From one practicing human being to another, Our failures is our successes under constuction. take care. Merrill Butterman Jr. Posted by: Merrill Butterman at February 28, 2005 05:31 PM The story of a girl trying to write some fiction. Recent Entries Einstein's Birthday Talk Good Editors Crazed Life Back in the Saddle E-mail Access! Japan. . . Writing What You Know Rewrites Writing Conflict Kyoto! Categories Book Writing Business of Writing Craft of Writing Day-to-Day Freelancing Magazine Writing When I'm Being Lame Writing Group Archives March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 October 2003 September 2003 Search Search this site: