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.