So a quick look at my next book project, a Jewish history of American popular culture, has the proposal in my agents hands and me working on the introduction and the sample chapter. I'm a few thousand words deep into the first and feeling that muted sick feeling of hacking heavy through brush but feeling lost anyway. The argument makes sense but is too broad, is cute but has a big "So what" stamped on its forehead. I usually work this way, spewing nonsense until I have what looks like a finished pile of nonsense then trying to shape it into something. I end up with good stuff and the end but it tastes forever and forever is the last thing I have.

I'm not going to make my deadline. I need to do a ton of research for my sample chapter and I don't feel like I can make room for it until the introduction is done. And I've got other projects to make money while the book finds its own weaving way.

One foot, then the other.

Comments

[James]

Hang in there, man. I'm looking forward to reading some of it whenever you think it's ready.

[slackmistress]

I so feel your pain.