WRITING, WRITING, WRITING
Posted by anthonynorth on August 25, 2007
It has been reported here, in the UK, that Robert Dunning has retired at age 69. You’ve no doubt never heard of him – neither had I until I read the report. But Mr Dunning left university in 1967 to write a book.
The book was for his local authority, and was about local history. He made the news because he has retired after only completing 9 of its 22 volumes. The ‘cause’ is to be continued through his assistant.
What a Herculean effort!
With over 50,000 hours of research so far, we must ask if this book can ever be completed, for as the generations of assistants continue to pass on the ‘cause’, won’t they be writing slower than history is being made?
My theme for this post is, obviously, how far should we go in writing a book? Should a life’s work be exactly that – or, in this case, many life’s work? At what point should we say: this book is getting bigger than me?
My books are not that big.
I’m a short story writer myself – and I mean more than being just 5ft 4in tall. I find voluminous writing a bore and I think I’ve mastered the art of brevity. I’ve written dozens of books, with only two ever being published.
But am I being unfair? Could it be that I, too, am involved in a Herculean task like Mr Dunning, producing a body of ‘literature’ that is my ‘life’s work’? Only in my case I give each thread of this work a title, and a book, of its own.
© Anthony North, August 2007
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poseidonsmuse said
Hi Anthony. That is a very good question – re: “How far should we go when writing a book?” I guess part of it depends on the topic and the personality writing the book (?). As you mentioned, it seems as though some individuals are well suited to momentous tasks, while others prefer to complete the body of work that they have started within smaller volumes and works(and choose brevity as a method of writing – such as yourself). I find it fascinating too, to consider that a writer’s thoughts are each an untold story…so yes, you could very well be undertaking a Herculean or Atlasean task yourself…I hope you can go for a shoulder massage from time to time!
anthonynorth said
Hi PM,
If I’d known you’d have reflected on my shoulders, I’d have chosen a different image for this post. Not a good one for broad shoulders 🙂
Seriously, I think, concerning my writing, if I’d thought I’d still be writing over 20 years after I started, and still trying to answer the same questions, I doubt if I’d have begun.
Or am I talking rubbish?
Possibly.
poseidonsmuse said
Oh wow…hmmm…interesting perspective. You know. You likely have evolved quite dramatically as a person over the last 20 years…So, it’s my guess that even if you are trying to answer the same questions…your replies are (or should be!), that much the wiser! Cheers Anthony.
ps. The image…yes…! I just had an image of you with a giant stack of books and writing on your back (or a stack of “Atlases”…too punny).
anthonynorth said
Hi PM,
I suppose it boils down to this: when we begin to write, we start off with just one piece of writing, and don’t know where it’s going from there. I suppose over the years I’ve written a couple of million words.
The question is: If I’d seen a pile of manuscripts that big in my mind’s eye at the beginning, would I have shied away from it? Just too big a task to contemplate.
Writing one piece at a time and putting them behind you; that offers a warm glow of achievement. But reversed? I think most people would think twice.
quinazagga said
In my writing the more descriptive and real to the reader the more the reader can immerse themselves into the story and get to know the characters you develop. The key here is don’t rush develop your characters and the societies they are in.