Who watched Imagine last night? I was glued to it as it followed Ian Rankin in the process of writing his next book. I have to admit I have never read one of his books or watched the TV series Rebus but watching Ian with his file of newspaper cuttings, notes written on napkins and anything else he had at the time will be very familiar with fellow writers. Some of what he said was rather comforting - like he'll do anything to put off starting to write and well over half way through the book he admitted to not knowing where it was going. He had highs and lows, times when he didn't think the book was working and had doubts about the whole thing. He always comes to a wavering point around page 64, I think it was, with each book he writes. This is a man who has written more than 25 books - there is hope for us all!
If you haven't seen the programme it is well worth watching - pick it up on BBC iPlayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nw51c/imagine..._Winter_2012_Ian_Rankin_and_the_Case_of_the_Disappearing_Detective/
2 comments:
I watched it and was spellbound! I do read his novels but what was so interesting was his writing process, how his imagination and subconscious were at work as much as his critical faculties and how he lost faith in it and then found it again; sometimes thinking it was good and then rereading and thinking it was bad. I can relate to all this - it must just be part of the creative process and as you say, immensely comforting and reassuring. The thing is to keep on... (must be hard when you're under pressure to deliver).
Hi Heather, thanks again for your lovely comment on my blog. Glad you are still reading it! Really appreciate you commenting. I'm struggling to 'socialise' online at the mo as I have a bad back and am tryng to stay off the computer as much as possible! Love this post of yours, which reminded me about Imagine. I haven't seen it yet; someone told me about it and i'd temporarily forgotten. I've followed your link and saved it and will watch it sometime this week. Take care! Sara :0)
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