Of the making of books …

Friday, May 7, 2010

12:30 PM. I just realized, as if from the outside, that I have always read a certain type of book as if in active relation to the author. That never occurred to me before! A history book may center on events or may center on an author’s experience of, or re-creation in his mind of, the events. Thus Bruce Catton is an active presence in his books as was Bernard DeVoto, say, less agreeably, in The Year Of Decision.

Well, with these authors I was in a relationship not very different from that I presently have with Hemingway, for example — but I didn’t know it, because I didn’t realize that (1) they were still alive, (2) they could hear my thoughts, (3) they knew what I know because able to commune with me directly.

That is a huge deafness to have to overcome! If I can help people to do so, it will have a correspondingly huge impact, good and bad both, but mingled, entangled, effects cannot be avoided in a world of duality.

There is an article (column) in this, and an IOMOK post. How-to and why you can. Also, it is the introduction to a book of conversations. The inevitable, indispensable introduction, I suddenly see. Odd how things clarify in lumps like that, rather than slowly.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

8 AM. I have recorded 60,000 words in a little more than a month. Sobering, in a way. It shows how little it takes to accomplish something, if you work consistently.

60,000 words, almost without effort. I think, at this rate I can accomplish a lot. It isn’t too late.

1:20 PM. I am a little like the rich kids Upton Sinclair wrote about, who never accomplished anything because they never had to put their entire effort into succeeding. I don’t need to write books that sell, or lecture or offer workshops for money, so it is difficult not to slack off. Maybe Joanne, if she and I develop a good working relationship, will provide, second-hand, the impetus I need.

All right, guys — which should I attack first?

Healing yourself ?

The book of personalities (can’t be this one; I don’t even have a central theme beyond “they came to me in the wake of Smallwood”).

And, or, a novel?

The healing book is by far the closest to being finished, and the clearest in concept, hence easiest.

All right, I see that. I think maybe I’ll go back to work.

But do it leisurely, slowly. Steadily in the way the Hemingway/Jung book is proceeding.

All right. Now, the next difficulty seems small, but isn’t. When? What time of day? Receiving messages from the other side is certainly easy and fun first thing up. But then after I’ve sent that around, several steps from having put it onto paper, I need a rest, sometimes a nap. So when should I resume? Not till after supper? After lunch? Mid-afternoon?

Your instinct to have a certain time of day is accurate. It will help. Why not from 3 to 5? That is time enough for the longest of siestas, and can be rewarded by supper alone or with friends.

All right, that sounds all right. Let’s try that. And the healing book may not require all that much work, either.

All the more reason not to rush it. Work gently on it, and it will come and then you may go off onto other things and perhaps you will still have Hemingway/Jung in process. If not, that time-slot can go to something else.

The result sounds like high productivity without a lot of stress.

If you approach it that way.

4:30 PM. All right, an hour and a half reviewing notes on healing and the healing book. Productive. I suppose I could do the final half hour even though I’m at a natural break. Might as well.