My writing process is in my title. Procrastinate Ad Eternum. Yes, that’s me.
Why am I telling you this?
Because in this week’s Trifecta challenge we were asked to describe our writing process in three words.
Why?
Because one of the Trifecta editors has recently been lucky enough to have been present in the aura of Neil Gaiman, who happens to be my favouritest author in the whole wide word. In the Q&A that followed the reading of the Master’s third chapter of the new book The Ocean at the End of the Lane, the Reigning Monarch in Fictiondom was asked “Can you tell us your writing process in three words?”
His Awesomeness replied, “Glare. Drink tea.”
That was a cool and insightful question to ask the Conqueror of the Pen, and I wish it came to me when I met His Greatness at the 2011 Fringe Festival. Alas, that is not how my rendezvous with my idol in fantasy fiction went. And if you want to know how it did go, read on.
When I bought the tickets to the above mentioned Fringe Festival in Edinburgh and found out that Neil Gaiman will be there in the same time that I was going to be, I was in raptures. I cried tears of joy, smiled foolishly all day and lost my appetite. I counted down the days and went out and bought a brand new copy of The Graveyard Book.
I had just heard the whole thing as an audio book while out in the evenings walking my dogs. Neil Gaiman’s pleasant voice serenaded me for a whole week as I struggled to forget that my heart was popping out of my chest from the effort of keeping up with my hounds; that I was sweating like a pig underneath my tracksuit; and that my unoiled knees were giving way. I enjoyed that book immensely and didn’t even realise that it was in fact a children’s book until I was sitting in the audience in Edinburgh gawking at Mr Gaiman himself as he spoke about Nobody Owens. I suddenly felt very stupid. There I was ready to proclaim myself as my favourite author’s number one fan while I held out a copy of a children’s book for him to sign. My friend didn’t encourage me much, he had with him a first edition copy of Sandman.
The self-reproach did not make the two-hour wait under arduous conditions any easier. In true Scottish summer style the rain was pouring and after the first half hour, the line moved out into the open, so we were directly assaulted by the offending fat drops. It was cold – hey we were in northern Britain, what did I expect? The line was full of noisy children – he had just released a children’s book – duh! – which did nothing to help me forget that I was shamefully holding in my hand a copy of a children’s novel, as evidence of my idol-worship.
To while away the time and take my mind off things, my friend and I practiced what to say when we came face to face with Neil.
“Should I say that I want to be a writer?”
“’Course you should!”
I bit all my nails and when no more keratin was available I turned to the skin on my bottom lip.
“Okay, if he asks which book was my favourite would I sound cheesy if I say American Gods?”
“No, just be honest.”
The queue snailed its way forward and we were at the end of it.
Eventually… eventually we got there. I saw him. Half a metre away, he was smiling at me. I opened my mouth to speak and this is what I should have said:
“Hello Neil, you must be tired after all the signatures – laugh lightly to mark the humour. I am a great fan of yours, as I think you have been hearing all afternoon. But I really am. May I shake your hand, sir?” He would offer his right limb and shake mine solidly – writer to writer. “I loved your episode on Dr Who – wouldn’t it be every man’s dream to have his ride turn into a beautiful woman for just one day? Loved it!” Here he would humbly note the compliment and I would smile and give him my book to sign. “We do have something in common, you know. I write fiction too…yes really. I have written two novels so far, nothing to your caliber but you know, you have to start somewhere.” Here he would say something encouraging and I would smile gratefully. He would then hand me back my newly signed copy and I would say, “Thank you for your time, keep up the good work!” and he would say thank you and wish me luck with my writing and I would have been the happiest, most motivated newbey writer in the whole wide world.
What in fact happened was the following.
On entering the warm room where one of the best authors on the planet was signing autographs I realised, to my relief, that there was a book shop and the shelves were covered in American Gods copies. So I bought one to have signed along with the children’s fiction; I could always make an excuse that the latter was for a nephew. I arrived at the table, finally, and handed over my copies.
Neil smiled at me, he did look tired, and he asked; “Who should I address this to?”
Through my wide open mouth which was stretched as far as it would go in a smile that must have made me look like a mad hag, I made a sound, an incoherent mumble that could have been my name but wasn’t.
He said, “Excuse me?”
“Alexandra,” I spat out.
“Both of them?”
My brain thought; No, one for Alexandra and leave the other open please.
But my mouth didn’t speak, my head nodded dumbly and my lips kept stretching.
With a slight, barely visible, nonplussed frown at his forehead, he signed both books with my name on them and gave them back to me. I nodded again, smiled, somehow even wider than before, and left. Not even a “Thank you,” came out of me.
My cheeks hurt for a while after that from all the smiling. The flush that had crept up my neck stayed with me until I was forced to remove a scarf and thus went on to catch a cold.
Now I have two books with identical autographs on them. During the whole week that I spent in Scotland I was also burdened by the guilt of a fudged-up opportunity and with every sneeze from my newly-earned cold I was reminded that my mind had turned into a black hole when faced with my idol. Shame. Shame. Shame!
Sandra's scribbles 
Aww that blows! Hopefully there’ll be a day when you meet on more equal ground and you can laugh about this! 😀
One dreams! Thanks for reading till the end.
I procrastinate in a number of fields, but usually not in writing. Nice one!
I procrastinate only in writing!! *sigh* Thanks for your comment.
oh I a classic procrastinator , in every sense. Once I get going, I’m good, but I hmm and haw quite a bit before I do.
and I loved your story..I mean you MET HIM. That in and of itself is phenomenal!
YAY.
That’s how I consoled myself in those first few weeks when the burden of my embarrassment and regret still weighed heavily on my shoulders! Thanks for your comment, fellow procrastinator.
Oh, my mouth and brain have let me down many a time! This was a great story, and how cool you met him. And I’m good at procrastination too!
There should be an award for that. I mean; procrastinating is a skill – all those original and diverse excuses you manage to find not to start writing…it’s creativity at its best!
I feel like I should say that I’m sorry for laughing, but I couldn’t stop. It’s cool though, because I would flail like a fool and do the opposite and not be able to stop talking if I was ever lucky enough to come face to face with Neil Gaiman. Plus, you should totally not feel silly about the Graveyard thing- I thought it was adult fiction, too, and when I finished Ocean at the End of the Lane (which was supposed to be) I thought it was YA. Huh. After your story I totally forgot what your 3 words were…
Don’t feel bad for laughing! I laugh about it too now. And thank you for the Graveyard thing,you managed to make me feel better! 😀
I’m on board with the procrastinating. That’s one thing I’m really good at.
Sorry about your encounter with Mr. Gaiman. I must live in a cave because I had never heard of him until someone did a book review on one of his books a couple weeks ago.
Hehe! 🙂 You have a lot of reading to do then!
I’ve read Coraline to several classes and it has always gone very well. The Graveyard Book is ok but, wasn’t quite as well received last year when I read it with my last crew. As for American Gods, I am slogging through it as we speak but, I have to admit, it is a pretty weird book at some stages. I get the Old Gods vs New Gods concept but, just the same, it is way out there at times. However, I do tip my hat to Gaimen for Sandman. It isn’t everyday that you get to be credited with setting the gold standard for an entire genre! I will conclude my Gaimen fawning by saying that I loved his “Make Great Art” commencement speech that made the internet rounds a few months ago. I say all of this because, of course, I am procrastinating getting to my main point which is I love your three words, your storytelling abilities and your blog. Well done, Sandra!
But isn’t the hallmark of Gaiman’s style to be ‘way out there’? I think it’s what sets him apart.
I have the ‘make great art’ speech on my YouTube Favourites list. It is so motivating!!
Procrastination. Tell me about it.
The signing story. *sigh*
heh 🙂 thanks for your comment.
well, you know . . . when you have your signing for YOUR great book . . . and Gaimen comes through your line? He will be totally gobsmacked as well. Love your words.
Yeah! He’ll not know where to look! 😉 Thanks for your comment, Barbara.
Procrastination ftw
hehe 🙂
Oh what a wonderful tale! LOL!! That sounds just like something I would do! Your only consolation is that it makes a much better story the way it happened than the way you wanted it to happen!
Oh well, that’s true! Thanks for reading, Linda.
Nice word choices Sandra! And thanks for sharing your Neil Gaiman story. Nothing quite like those moments you wish you could do over. I have a few of my own. 🙂
oh, this is far from my only one! Thanks for your comment, Sue.
From 1 procrastinator to another, great words!
Heh 🙂 Thanks, Dee.
But… you met Neil Gaiman. *envy*
True, true. Thank you for your comment.
Procrastinate everything else 🙂
I usually procrastinate on anything that I find objectionable. However I never procrastinate in writing. I find it enjoyable even when it is hard. This is about the only thing I would struggle against willingly.
As you say – “Glare. Drink tea.” is genius – thank you for sharing that. Take heart – imagine instead that Mr. Gaiman thought you were really cool!