Last night’s David Mitchell event was open, honest and funny. Not only were the audience treated to several pages of his latest book “The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet” (which is stunningly written and I highly recommend), but they were rewarded with a glimpse of the inner workings of a writer’s mind. As chairperson Brendan Barrington stated, the evening was spellbinding.
Throughout his reading, Mitchell interrupted himself to edit his own work. At one point he stopped midsentence; “guard and garden – that doesn’t work very well does it? I’ll have to contact my publishers.” This was a refreshing approach which was not only insightful, but also very much appreciated. I’ve not seen this done before and it’s reassuring to see that even after publication, winning multiple awards and critical acclaim, good writers are still constantly seeking to improve their craft.
It’s also amazing to know that despite receiving many accolades, Mitchell is still daunted by the task of handing over his work. He describes the moment as nerve-wracking. “Every time I hand over my manuscript, apart from the first time when I had no expectations, I think that’s it! My beautiful career has gone! I put a torch to it. the next few days I’m awful to live with. My wife should earn danger money.”
Mitchell was also extremely honest about how his sixth novel was formed, moving from first-person narrative to third person via second person. He admitted that he was struggling to get it right and he was worried as the deadline loomed because each draft required drastic alterations. But he relied on his professionalism, instinct and a few “happy accidents” to get there. But as he says, “The final version is an amalgam of the first two. Nothing goes to waste.”
The highlight for me was that Mitchell approached the audience as though it was a group of writers, not just readers. He turned questions back on the audience and wished them good luck with their own books. A member of the audience asked Mitchell for advice for young writers. He offered several practical tips which didn’t mythologize the craft:
- There’s a myth that the first book has to be amazing, but the first two books you write should be rubbish. They will be awful manuscripts that should be binned. That’s where you make your mistakes.
- If you’re feeling discouraged, you’re probably doing it right.
- Keep notebooks and index them well so you don’t spend your life searching through them
- Cultivate contacts. If an editor gives you feedback, thank them for it and keep their name and the contact open. It’ll be useful later.
- Remember, it’s not about a marathon. A novel is made up of sections; words, paragraphs, chapters. Instead of looking at a novel like a mammoth task, aim to go to bed having written a beautiful paragraph or having perfected a chapter. And don’t be daunted by the journey ahead, feel proud of the work you’ve done.
I’d like to finish up by thanking David for the interesting “fast sheep on wheels” that he drew in my edition of Number Nine Dream. I’m not sure about the jellyfish he gave to my friend, however – he should have stuck with the cloud which he originally suggested.