Stephen King and David Sedaris
Pretty random, but in the past 60 minutes, I’ve shaken hands and thanked both Stephen King and David Sedaris for inspiring me as a writer. They’re pretty big figures to me, so do get to meet them one after another like that was pretty surreal.
I had tickets for the Stephen King event, for which tickets were sold well in advance of me knowing he was even promoting a book. I figured he was here the day before Halloween, so it was probably just connected to that somehow. But the event quickly sold out, and last week, he released his umpteenth novel Lisey’s Story, which he says is his best ever, and many critics are agreeing.
The setting was one of the "In Conversation With…" events that I’ve always been somewhat dismissive of, but Stephen King is not a very public guy, so I jumped right in without hesitation. He was being interviewed by Andrew Sean Greer, author of The Confessions of Max Tivoli. And, it covered a lot of random ground from baseball to TV to movies to books, etc.
When it came time for Q&A, for the first time ever, I shot my hand up and eventually got my turn at the wireless mic from my seat. Prior to my question, King had talked about how writing is somewhat mysterious and that anyone who says they know its secrets are full of shit, because most novelists don’t know what they’re doing.
Perfect transition for me. So, I ask: "Mr. King, following on the theme of not knowing what I’m doing, I’m working on my first novel right now. I was a bit fan of On Writing, and the metrics it used for writing, whereby 2,000 words was the goal. Some days it took 90 minutes, and sometimes 11 hours, but I always did my 2,000 words. (King nods approvingly.) But now, I have a draft I like, and it feels like a 700+ page mountain of text hanging over me, and I never feel like I’m done a good day’s work, because it’s harder to gauge progress. So, what do you define as a good day’s editing?"
Here it is. I’ve come to the mountaintop to ask one of the most prolific writers of our time advice that could change my life. And, based on On Writing, I know it won’t be sugarcoated. It won’t be bullshit. It will be down-home nuts-and-bolts practical advice.
And then King turned to Greer, and says "You got an answer for that? What do you think is a good day of editing?"
Eventually, he said he’s happy if he’s turned six pages into four pages, but then went into some of the same information that is in the book: distance yourself from the draft so editing is easier, get people to read it who will give you honest advice about what sucks, noting that all ties go to the writer, and that people who like you may not be the best reviewers of your work.
So, basically, you are buried, but just plow through, and when you can’t plow anymore, ask for help. I guess I was expecting more. Of course, it is also liberating to hear him not really have an answer that he was all that sure of.
After the event, as he wasn’t signing books, I ran to the stage door with my copy of On Writing, hoping to get it signed. His handler said he was feeling very ill and wouldn’t be signing (as per usual in cases like this, I am the only person there, but they talk like there is an angry mob), but I get to chat with him, tell him I was the person that asked the editing question, and he said, "Just keep at it." We shook hands, I thanked him for inspiring me for so many years, and that was that.
As it happens, directly next door to the Stephen King event, there was a David Sedaris event, also sold out, but in a much bigger room. I see the bookstore people sitting there in the lobby and realize, Sedaris is still going. It’s about 90 minutes past when his show started, so I know from past experience that he’s nearly done. So, I go into the building, buy a book, and get in his signing line. As his event is still going, I’m the second person in line.
He finishes up, a mob forms behind me and next to me (people who want to meet him, but not stand in line, who are all eventually told to leave). I shake his hand and get a hardback of "Me Talk Pretty One Day" signed and personalized, and tell him he is an amazingly funny writer that has inspired me with my own novel. I tell him he is responsible for many people on public transportation thinking I am a mental patient when I laugh inappropriately while listening to the audiobook format of his essay collections. He asks my name and if my book is available, as though he would like to read it, but I tell him I am just finishing the editing, so he’s got a while to wait. We then talk about doing an interview someday for Oasis, and he is all for it, but says he only does promotional interviews when he has something to promote and his next book is about a year and a half out. I say, sounds good to me, we’ll talk then. He smiles, and reaches into his bag and offers me a fun-size Milky Way Dark for Halloween.
Now, technically, I don’t eat chocolate and when I do it is good vegan chocolate, preferably melted into some decadent (albeit infrequently consumed) dessert. But when David Sedaris wishes you a Happy Halloween and holds out chocolate, that’s a special moment.
So, I thanked him, took the chocolate, opened the wrapper as I headed down Van Ness Avenue in the direction of my apartment, and let the chocolate melt in my mouth.
What a crazy night.
