writers' encampment

Scottie Bowman (bowman@mail.indigo.ie)
Mon, 23 Mar 1998 08:24:10 +0000

	I'm very flattered indeed by the invitation to join the writers' 
	group.  The genuineness of my gratitude makes me all the more 
	anxious that no one misunderstand my reservations about 
	the whole enterprise.

	In the past, I've been acquainted with one or two established 
	writers, some of them even quite celebrated in their time.  
	They treated me with the kind of generosity I imagine older gypsies 
	tend show to younger members of the tribe - where best to pitch 
	your tent, who are the good touches in the neighbourhood, 
	which police districts to avoid, & so on.  That is, they said nice 
	things about my stuff, told me which publishers to avoid, who were 
	the best agents to go for, what were the prospects for foreign 
	rights.  That kind of thing.

	By & large, though, they didn't give advice about the writing itself 
	or offer serious critiques of it.  And that suited me fine. I didn't 
	want to write like them.  I wanted to write like the absolutely 
	inimitable R.M.Bowman.  I knew only too well where I hadn't 
	managed to do what I'd intended.  I already had a fair idea what 
	I'd try next time.  What I really needed to be told was: Yes, I had 
	the real stuff.... It was only a matter of time.... Keep at it.... 
	They'd gone through the same uncertainties but if you never, never, 
	never surrendered it all came right in the end....     

	If a writer has forged ahead into greater literary success than 
	yourself he'll tend to encourage you in the role of disciple.  
	And if you're on a roughly equal footing, he'll see you as a threat 
	& will probably try - hopefully unconsciously - to undermine you.  
	If you've fallen behind in the race, his guilt will be such that 
	he'll try to escape the contamination of failure by avoiding all 
	contact.  

	There really is no company in writing.  We all seek it, of course.  
	We remember the warmth of the herd.  But whenever we engage 
	in other pursuits - like contributing to this list - we're actually 
	wasting time, sharpening pencils & putting off the horrible moment 
	when we must sit down & do the one thing we're meant to be doing - 
	surely one of the most futile & arduous activities known to man.

	Scottie B.