Sunday, 2 March 2014
The Deadline Song
It’s not easy writing your novels to deadlines.
Keeping up those plot positions
Watching out that they all transition
Plot and rewrite both at the same time.
Smells like subplots I’ve forgotten
Curled up died and now their rotten
I’m not an editor tonight
Don’t want to lose that word count
’m getting careless, baby
And you’re not in the last third
CHORUS
I can’t decide
Whether this scene lives or dies
Oh, it’ll prob’ly be in the sequel
Or a short story on the side
No wonder why
My brain feels dead inside
My thoughts are all emulsified
Lock the doors and close the blinds
We’re running out of time.
It’s a bitch convincing people to read you
If I stop now call me a quitter
If I wrote less I’d be much fitter
Pleasing everyone isn’t likely
Banging keyboards till I’m crippled.
Read reviews until I’m fickle
I’ve got to hand it to you
You’re in all the outlines
But my characters surprised me
And you’re no longer necessary
CHORUS
Oh I could throw you in the bin
Or just simply do you in
But the readers might miss you when you’re gone
I could spin you off a series
But the publisher might query
Whether anyone would buy them…
That's why….
CHORUS
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9 comments:
Marvellous, sir!
*They're rotten
Mr. Aa, found your book Midnight Riot at the library in my hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska, USA recently and loved it. Though I read most books from the library for free, those I love I purchase (must own to re-read whenever the feeling strikes) and I am the proud owner of 4 of your books. And now I'm reading through your blog and enjoying it (and thinking I need to go back and read some Jack Vance too). I read every day and books brighten my life. THANK YOU for brightening my life!
Very, very nice :)
A short story might be the way to go, perhaps self-published, to judge audience reaction. That might be enough to persuade a publisher ;)
Just finished Rivers of London through Broken Homes as audiobooks over the last few weeks.
Write faster on book number 5!
I love your books. It would be great to know when book 5 will come along. Even approximately....
Ahem. Less singing, more writing please.
I love the books, have brought copies of Rivers for people as birthday presents, and every one of them has gone on to read the whole series.
Please write more for us, and do it SOOOOON omg, I want to know how Peter and his Push are getting on. Will "Tiger" get so young that Peter has to give him a curfew?. Will Mr and Mrs Thames marry and spring more leaks, where would new stream beds go, and could Londoners notice if no-one bridges them?.
These are brilliant! I love the authentic feel of the characters and the way PC Grant describes his city. We love you here in Canada. And thank you for having your books translated! I shall have to have two copies of each now.
That had better not be about Beverley...
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