Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Clean sweep

Today, a clean sweep. I have filled six dustbin bags with my work and shoved them out with the rubbish. Just now the lorry has come with its powerful teeth chomping through book proposals, drafts of novels, and the associated research. Sometimes I looked at the writing and the kind and encouraging comments from my agents but mostly I just plunged on determinedly not thinking very much about anything at all.

My noticeboard is clear now. The book piles slightly reduced but still too high. It's time to start on something else.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Debra Hamel said...

Wow. I think you're my hero! Must have been hard to do this. There's always that niggling suspicion that you'll need something some day, though you never do....

Wed Feb 03, 03:10:00 pm  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Yes, Debra, it was pretty hard - but I think the acquisition of space makes up for it!

Wed Feb 03, 05:24:00 pm  
Blogger Paul Halpern said...

There's definitely something liberating about getting rid of old stuff. I just donated two boxes of political leaflets that I had saved from my university days. There was a bit more space in our cellar, that very quickly was taken up by other boxes.

I like your description of the paper-devouring lorry.

Thu Feb 04, 05:23:00 pm  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Ha, yes that's always the way, isn't it? Clearing up is like trying to dig a hole in the sand - unless you're careful the sides swiftly fall in again.

I think you're lucky having a cellar Paul - I'd love one of those.

Thu Feb 04, 07:12:00 pm  
Blogger Michael said...

with the rubbish as in landfill ? don't know where you live, but there should be paper collection across the UK by now ?

Fri Feb 05, 10:55:00 am  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Yes, Michael, rubbish as in landfill - at least some of it - the ring binders and the plastic covers since they weren't polythene. The paper (of course!) went in the blue wheely....

Fri Feb 05, 11:17:00 am  
Anonymous Mary said...

You're very brave. Hope you kept a bit of stuff, whatever you think would be important from a historical perspective. Someone may want to write a book about you in the future. :)

Sun Feb 07, 06:05:00 pm  

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