But I'm so slow on it because I find it terribly hard writing blind on computers. The computer speaks to me, but it's just so slow, I'm so terribly slow using it. |
I never worked in an office in my life. |
I haven't sold to the movies. In other words, I haven't gotten any enormous checks yet. |
I never made lots of money at it, but I sold enough. |
I was an omnivore at reading, so that everything I ever read contributed. |
A reader is not supposed to be aware that someone's written the story. He's supposed to be completely immersed, submerged in the environment. |
There was a writer in the '20s called Christopher Morley, who I remember a little bit of, who had some influence on me, but I couldn't tell you what it was. |
In fact, almost every job you get somebody watching you. |
I'd never been published when I was young. |
These are just the tip of the iceberg, because I read and read and read. I read everything. |
I do read books. I suppose it's more or less the same thing, but at least I'm alone and I'm an individual. I can stop anytime I want, which I frequently do. |
So I'll write it, and then I'll find out that I actually wrote something that is utterly useless. You can't use it in the story and it doesn't fit. So I just throw it away. I've done that countless times. |
I was a carpenter for a time and everybody watches what you do. |
But I've sure worked at jobs where I have been under inspection. |
It seems to limit you; when you're working in an office, you're a creature in a small cell under somebody's supervision and surveillance. |
I got done writing Ports of Call and suddenly realized I have far too much material for the book. |
As I mentioned, I was a carpenter for a time. |
Sometimes some of these little side excursions are useful and I manage to fit them in the book somewhere. |
Well, I think everything I've ever read contributes to the background from which I write. |
Then there was Clark Ashton Smith, who wrote for Weird Tales and who had a wild imagination. He wasn't a very talented writer, but his imagination was wonderful. |