Some Consolation for Writers

7 January 2010 6 Replies

Samuel Beckett’s list of publishers who rejected Murphy, from the Samuel Beckett in Berlin exhibit in 2006:

6 thoughts on “Some Consolation for Writers”

Ryan

7 January 2010 at 19:07
Trying to get your novel published?
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Mr. Waggish

7 January 2010 at 20:08
Was I so obvious?
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nightspore

7 January 2010 at 20:53
I remember a bitter poem of his:
Doubleday Doran,
Less oxy than moron,
You’ve a mind like a whore on
The way to Begorrahn…
(or something)
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Ryan

7 January 2010 at 21:00
Well, what frequent visitor of your blog could help noticing that “the novel” is “done for now”? And the consolation Beckett’s list offers would seem especially relevant if indeed you’re currently on a publishing mission, though the consolation IS universal. Didn’t mean to insinuate anything! Best of luck. (I once had a professor whose tales of the vicissitudes and caprices of the industry were nearly enough to scare me off for good — it’s all about maintaining vitality, as you’re surely aware.)
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jf

7 January 2010 at 23:28
I will have to remember, and use, the phrase “die Merde hat mich wieder [nieder?]” (bottom of the lower document). Ooh, I wonder if that will make it through the comment spam filter.
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Paul

13 January 2010 at 06:59
Maybe this one is even more consoling and encouraging— some of Robert Walser’s micrograms (the diminutive script he wrote the Robber novel in) were written over rejection letters from magazines and newspapers. Just make sure you don’t go insane, like Walser!
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