Nano - Day 10. Ouch. Ouch, ouch.

I'm two and a half scenes in, and I feel like teeth are being pulled out of my head one by one. With a blunt instrument.

The scenes are way too long. 2500 words per crappy scene is way too much.

The past couple of years I was a total overachiever during NaNo. I'm just going to have to let go of my former self for now and be...an achiever. If I get through 50K with this novel, with a complete lack of focus and interesting plot, well, I'll just have to call that successful. And this will be good practice for me. I don't normally write if I don't want to. Nano gives me a good excuse to write even though I absolutely don't want to.

I went to see Neil Gaiman yesterday. It was a total spur of the moment thing, I just happened to find out he was being interviewed at the 92nd Street Y for The Sandman's 20th Anniversary. I called, there were plenty of tickets left. So I went.

He doesn't ever seem to change, of course he was dressed head to toe in his trademark black, with a crown of thick black curls. He was affable as usual. Neil is so natural, so genius, he doesn't even have to try. He doesn't even have to try. He does a mad Harlan Ellison impression. I was quite impressed with Chip Kidd, his interviewer. He looked like the love child of David Sedaris and Fred Schneider from the B52s. A terrific, almost irreverant, campy foil for Neil's quiet, boyish Englishness.

I bought the Graveyard Book and stood in (the long, long) line to have it signed. I read it halfway through in the wait (Neil's fans are hardcore). Now this is how it's done my head said to me, reading through the first few pages. He drops you right in the action, keeps things moving swiftly, there's always a buildup and a payoff.

I wish I had had my camera. I managed to ask Neil a question that no one has ever asked him before, he said.

I'll take that as a compliment.

Finished a crappy scene on the way home, with many more to finish before it's over and done with. I have a things to do list as long as my arm and I stare at it day after day, waiting for my focus to return.

Hm.

j.