-
Writing a book
Filed under GeneralAug 11I briefly mentioned in an earlier blog that I am currently writing a new book. This means I spend hours looking out from my tiny window, in my tiny back room at a huge tree blocking out most of the view. I talk to myself, I pace, I avoid seeing friends just on the off-chance I might be inspired and some days I write. I’ve an agreement with my publisher that I’d send her the book in sections as, the deadline seemed so far in the future that I found I lacked the drive to get anything done. I came up with this poem to describe the last few months -
The cursor blinks on an empty page
Nothing is flowing but inner rage
And just as I’m giving into despair
I play another game of solitaire.
So with the first deadline looming next week the pressure is on, so much so that I will celebrate my birthday on Friday by writing all day. I’m gripped with a sense of dull anxiety all the time, the sense that there is always something to do, mainly because there is!
Still the book is now getting written; it’s shaping up and looking good. I’m nearly half way through the minimum word count the publishers want (I’ve done 20 000 of a possible 40 000 words) and it looks like I’ve got a lot more in me. What’s more it’s looking like it might be a rare thing, a funny gardening book. I’ve tried to write with the thought of a placating a really grumpy, know it all reader. This might sound like a strange thing to do but having a negative inner dialogue makes for quite positive sounding work. I imagine someone reading it back thinking a rather less watered down version of, ‘that’s not right, what an idiot’, this makes me tinker with the words in such a way to render this inner critic silent. It makes the writing process a little painful and I’m sure anyone reading this in the mental health profession would see that as an incredibly unhealthy way to work but, it does seem to get the words on the page.
It’s also written with a mix of speaking to experienced and complete novice gardeners in mind. I try to be simplistic without being patronising, a difficult balance but hopefully it works.
The book is provisionally titled ‘How to grow your food for free …well almost’ and covers everything in the fruit and vegetable garden from shed building to cheap/free potting compost. If anyone wants to share ways of saving money and/or recycling in the vegetable garden then I’d like to hear from you. I’ve covered a lot of things but it never hurts to hear more, it might just be something I’ve not thought about!
3 Responses to “Writing a book”
-
Dave Dealy said on August 17th, 2010 at 10:46 am
Hi Dave. I am also a Dave. I’ve wrote a FUNNY book about baling string; ARCHIE SPARROWS BOOK OF USEFUL TIPS TO BEAT THE RECESSION WITH…..BALING STRING? The Tight B*st*rd’s Guide to Running a Smallholding. It’s published by the Good Life Press in September. I also write a author’s blog on their website.
Funny enough I have started writing a book called VEGETABLE GARDENING FOR NOWT! Perhaps I can help you with some suggestions?
-
dave said on August 31st, 2010 at 9:08 pm
I thought you were joking with a title like that but looked it up on Amazon and there it was!! It seems to say October for a release date is that right?
-
dave dealy said on October 9th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Sorry for not getting back to you. I have just found your comment today the 9th of October. It’s supposed to be the 20th of October. Please check out the Good Life Press website for more details. I also write a blog on it. I really enjoyed your book Dave.
Dave Dealy
