This be the verse - Larkin
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.
But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another’s throats.
Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don’t have any kids yourself.
I cant quite fathom why, but this poem has been running around my head all morning. When I first read this piece many years ago I was feeling some resentment towards my old man, it was somewhat fitting then, but now I can think of no reason whatsoever that it should come into my head all these years later...anyways...
Could not attend the writers meeting this week which was most unfortunate. Travel to and from Glasgow has been erratic at best with the weather conditions being the way they have been. Trains cancelled, buses toppled, schools closed. Its funny to listen to people not from here complain about the weather. I overheard an American couple (on a train I might add) discussing their 'Scottish' holiday and how the only thing they had to complain about was the weather. My question to them...what did you expect? We're not exactly known for our tropical climate are we?
Although the weather has usurped my abilities to attend the writers group and threatened to keep me away from work It has not managed to stop me writing and I have handwritten most of the next two chapters. Finding the time to type them up though is just as difficult as usual. The holiday season is upon us and time seems so much more elusive now that it is here.
I am extremely happy with how things are going so far with 'Empire' (yes I did finally find a name for the book!) and my dream is going to be realised next year. No ive not got a publisher or an agent, or a contract of any form. But I do have an iron will, and a steely determination to see this through and see my book on the shelves between Pratchett and Paolini (technically it would be the other way about...and some book stores shelf Pratchett in the comedy section and Paolini in fantasy but you get the meaning...)
Picked up an interesting book in Waterstones called "The first five pages." So far it has been very useful. Im not sure how I feel about people who write about writing but the book kind of makes you feel like you are the editor/agent/publishing house and teaches you how to reject books. By doing this you inadvertedly learn what not to do. I never looked upon it like that before. They WANT to reject your manuscript. They have hundreds upon hundreds of prospective clients and a list of very demanding signed ones and they all work to a deadline. The quicker they can assign your book to a pile the better. Hopefully with the help of this book I will end up in the right pile.
Another Saturday 12 hour shift, hopefully it dies down later and I can get some writing done at my desk...
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