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This 22 message thread spans 2 pages: 1  2  > >  
  • WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by EmmaD at 10:42 on 12 July 2013
    WriteWorder Anecdotist won second prize in the competition I held recently on my blog, and her piece, Loving, Hating and Writer's Block, is just up. It's a great piece which I know will speak to lots of WWers:

    http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/2013/07/postiversary-competition-second-prize-winner-loving-hating-and-writers-block-by-anne-goodwin.html
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by AlanH at 11:42 on 12 July 2013
    It's a lovely piece of writing, but I have two stumbling blocks to fully understanding it.

    One is that I have never (and I hope it stays like that) hated my novel. Creating it has been a labour of love, and I cannot at the moment see what could change that. So, how a writer can go into a mental state of hating his/her work is not apparent to me, especially when it's an overnight thing, as Annecdotist says.

    I think sometimes I lead a simple life.

    My second block is a silly one. I do not know the 'other' meaning of cold custard. Yes, I admit it. I thought it might be obvious, but after doing a quick search, nothing came to light. The only other association of 'cold' and food I can think of is cold-turkey. So, is this - cold custard - a recent phenomenon known by everyone in the UK, but not by me?
    Now, I must point out I have fond memories of cold custard, especially when it was Ambrosia custard, which somehow tasted better cold than hot. I wish I had some now.
    (Here, btw, no one eats it - you can't get it in any supermarket. When a friend brought over a tin of Birds, I celebrated).

  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by EmmaD at 17:12 on 12 July 2013
    Cold custard is a pet horror of mine, that's the thing. It's good to know that I'm not alone...

    On hating your novel, good if you haven't. But I think most of us have a sense of it as a creature - and entity one has a relationship with. I don't often actually hate mine, but I definitely sometimes feel as if it's resisting me, or even fighting back.
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by Annecdotist at 12:01 on 17 July 2013
    Thanks for posting this Emma and Alan I'm really sorry you spent time trying to unravel the non-existent deeper meaning of cold custard. I can see why this could happen since the other two examples were universal hates whereas this was very much a personal one (it actually makes me retch and I was quite surprised to discover a fellow sufferer in Emma), which I hadn't really thought through when I wrote it, but it makes me think of (I'm not 100 percent sure if it was her someone else) Anne Enright said she knew a novel was finished when it made her sick.
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by AlanH at 13:01 on 17 July 2013
    Alan I'm really sorry you spent time trying to unravel the non-existent deeper meaning of cold custard.


    It's really all right, and it refreshed my memory about cold turkey which I hadn't heard for decades. Also I like being intrigued.

    ps. I just love cold custard with hot rhubarb. Food for the Gods.
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by debac at 00:00 on 19 July 2013
    I am ambivalent about cold custard, but I can't bear yellow, which is much weirder.

    Great post, Anne. I like the introspective style of it, and the way you sift through possibilities.

    Deb
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by AlanH at 04:40 on 19 July 2013
    I am ambivalent about cold custard, but I can't bear yellow, which is much weirder


    The world of custard is not as simple as I thought.
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by debac at 11:10 on 19 July 2013
    Sorry to shock you out of your world view, Alan... I'm not a big fan of cold custard but it can be nice in a trifle, can't it?
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by AlanH at 13:37 on 19 July 2013
    it can be nice in a trifle, can't it?


    Yes, deb, it certainly can. I used to make a mean sherry trifle. Even those averse to cold custard like Annecdotist and Emma would have lapped it up.
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by debac at 15:36 on 19 July 2013
    Sounds very tempting. Would you mind emailing some over for us?
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by Annecdotist at 15:40 on 19 July 2013
    I like to think I'm fairly adaptable but never in a million years could you get me to eat trifle, unless as a form of torture!
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by AlanH at 16:07 on 19 July 2013
    Would you mind emailing some over for us?


    Sorry, about to attach a morsel, but I got distracted ... http://www.sherrytrifleburlesque.com/
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by debac at 11:39 on 20 July 2013
    Er, thanks, Alan...
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by EmmaD at 14:05 on 20 July 2013
    The only way I can stomach trifle is if it's so alcoholic that I can stir the ghastly custard into everything else, and pretend I can't taste/feel/smell it.

    And now I have Nigel Slater's "custard" from his Ten Minute trifle - mascarpone, vanilla sugar and egg yolk beaten together, and then the whipped whites folded in - I never need suffer the real thing again.
  • Re: WW`s Anecdotist on Writer`s Block, new at This Itch of Writing
    by Catkin at 23:00 on 20 July 2013
    Trifle. Mmmmmm. Proper trifle with cold custard, raspberry jam and flaked almonds. Yum. And vanilla slices. You will probably only understand that if you are northern. Wish I hadn't been reminded of them; I could murder one now.

    I want Sherry Trifle's entire wardrobe.

  • This 22 message thread spans 2 pages: 1  2  > >