Friday 5 March 2010

You're Welcome

sunny, mild, temps zero

Another gorgeous day. Long day writing. Needed to edit what I'd already done. re-read and touched up chapter one... I liked it...much to my relief and surprise. Then read chapter 2 and didn't like it! Well, I saw a lot of very rough, sort of clunky, passages...so spent a few hours smoothing and editing and re-shaping. Now I quite like it. But took a long time. Then I had a dilema. Stop for the day, or keep going.

I kept going...writing 1,000 words in chapter 3.

The hard part of starting a book - besides not running shrieking down the middle of the road hoping to be hit by a truck - is knowing how much to say, when. When to bring in characters...how much to say about them. And when to bring in other elements, clues, red herrings etc. A book, at least mine, are sort of diamond shaped. Starting fairly simply - then bringing in more and more things. Don't want to hit people with too much too soon.

Happily - I keep reminding myself - there is the editing...especially the second draft. things are so much clearer then.

On another subject altogether...Margaret posted a comment on yesterday's blog in which she copied what NBC anchor Brian Williams had to say when the olympics were over...after he'd spent two weeks in Vancouver... it was so great I've copied it here. Thought you'd like it...

Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
After tonight's broadcast and after looting our hotel mini-bars, we're going to try to brave the blizzard and fly east to home and hearth, and to do laundry well into next week. Before we leave this thoroughly polite country, the polite thing to do is leave behind a thank-you note.

Thank you, Canada:

For being such good hosts.

For your unfailing courtesy.

For your (mostly) beautiful weather.

For scheduling no more than 60 percent of your float plane departures at the exact moment when I was trying to say something on television.

For not seeming to mind the occasional (or constant) good-natured mimicry of your accents.

For your unique TV commercials -- for companies like Tim Hortons -- which made us laugh and cry.

For securing this massive event without choking security, and without publicly displaying a single automatic weapon.

For having the best garment design and logo-wear of the games -- you've made wearing your name a cool thing to do.

For the sportsmanship we saw most of your athletes display.

For not honking your horns. I didn't hear one car horn in 15 days -- which also means none of my fellow New Yorkers rented cars while visiting.

For making us aware of how many of you have been watching NBC all these years.

For having the good taste to have an anchorman named Brian Williams on your CTV network, who turns out to be such a nice guy.

For the body scans at the airport which make pat-downs and cavity searches unnecessary.

For designing those really cool LED Olympic rings in the harbor, which turned to gold when your athletes won one.

For always saying nice things about the United States...when you know we're listening.

For sharing Joannie Rochette with us.

For reminding some of us we used to be a more civil society.

Mostly, for welcoming the world with such ease and making lasting friends with all of us.


And thank you, Mr. Williams. It was a pleasure. Come back soon.

7 comments:

Dana said...

Favorite commercial - Michael J Fox skating. How wonderful will be the day we can see real medical breakthoughs, and how wonderful to capture the moment with virtual.
Canadian commercials rock! Thanks for noticing, Brian.
The dailies on your writing experience are almost as antiipated as the next book. Thank you, Louise.
Dana

whalewatcher said...

Louise,
I believe you when you talk about there being a lot to the writing process. However, in what I have observed and enjoyed by reading your books I would have said it was easy. You have made it so seamless
and believable that from this side of it all your hard work is appreciated!
Kathy

Anonymous said...

This has been making the email rounds...I sent it to my mother (who is vacationing for the winter in Florida, and therefore feeling a little homesick for Canada!) who told me she'd received from someone else. It's always nice to see Canada praised - or even acknowldged! - by the US especially, and now the world...I don't think any of us could have asked for a better Olympics, not only from the medal standpoint, but also in terms of how well Vancouver organized and ran the whole crazy circus. Makes me very proud (and a little more homesick!).
Thanks!
Beth

Ruthie from NH said...

The medals were gorgeous, probably the most beautifully designed medials I've seen of any Olympics.

Ruthie from NH said...

The medals were gorgeous, probably the most beautifully designed medals I've seen of any Olympics. ( Sorry. This time no misspellings)

riverview said...

How can we hear what you record will you post it for us to download?
Thanks
Ann

Louise Penny Author said...

Hi Dana,

I loved that commercial too! Was it virtual? I was hoping he really does still skate that well. The power of hope. And perhaps delusion. So many great commercials on during the Olympics. As inspiring and moving as the games themselves sometimes.

Hi kathy,

Oh, you could not have said anything better. in fact, paert of me wondered if I should not say anything and keep that illusion - that the books just came out whole and perfect. And, truth is, in many ways they do - or would - if i could just step aside and trust my instinct more. What a fascinating process.

Hi Beth, so perfectly put - a crazy circus. And yes, it is always so important to us Canadians how the world perceives us. Not, perhaps, the best part of our nature - but it is there...and fairly benign. And funny. I too was clearly moved by what he said.

Hi Ruth - weren't they stunning?! Wish i had one... but I hear you have to actually work hard for one. hardly seems fair...

Hi Ann, Yes - when it goes on air I'll provide a link so you can 'come' with me to Washington and Malice Domestic. always fun - and hectic.