tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post2449843990886629826..comments2024-03-25T09:56:16.164+00:00Comments on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure: The Toad Work - Andrew StrongUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-27254248146256942382012-05-21T15:14:46.071+01:002012-05-21T15:14:46.071+01:00Do real steamrollers still exist? YES! They are al...Do real steamrollers still exist? YES! They are always up and down our main road on their way to steam jollies in country parks. I'll ask one of them to come by your house and pick you up. It would do you the world of good to drive one over your obligations and flatten them. <br />Please don't stop writing. Your books are wonderful.Sarah Taylor-Fergussonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01507013836947182706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-60373150465242222652012-05-19T16:29:05.670+01:002012-05-19T16:29:05.670+01:00Much sympathy and recognition. Bloody soul-destroy...Much sympathy and recognition. Bloody soul-destroying how hard it is to survive financially on this writing lark, and how hard it can be to keep writing. <br /><br />I also find it soul-destroying being asked to do public-speaking for nothing. I say this because I'm on a train back from London to Edinburgh, after travelling to do a talk for no fee, for which I probably spent four hours prep, and answered 40 emails and two phone calls, as well as at least another hour admin, two days travelling and had to get up at 6 this morning. And paid for dog-sitting fees and food on my journeys. And I AM NOT DOING A FREE TALK AGAIN. There were 1000 people in the audience and they had all paid to come. <br /><br />Somehow, we have to work out which bits of our work we want to do and which bits could earn some money and try to balance the right amounts of each.<br /><br />Keep with us, Andrew!Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-80470560198735087432012-05-19T09:16:35.974+01:002012-05-19T09:16:35.974+01:00"A triumph of hope over amphibians" - I ..."A triumph of hope over amphibians" - I love that. If you wrote the whole post to get that bit, it was time well invested.<br /><br />Yes, some writers have earning partners. Not fair, is it? You *can* (or least *could*) support children on writing income alone, as long as they quite like scraps and going barefoot. My waifs will confirm as much. But then the writing has to take on some toad-like aspects.<br /><br />Keep going.... Life is indeed one thing after another, until there are no more things.Stroppy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560035800075465845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-70838156720037968022012-05-18T21:37:00.452+01:002012-05-18T21:37:00.452+01:00my first visit to your blog, really enjoyed it, am...my first visit to your blog, really enjoyed it, amazing stay in-front of the toadagmanhttp://agman-aviator.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-33217163404672085582012-05-18T17:40:43.884+01:002012-05-18T17:40:43.884+01:00You found the answer to writer's block, just r...You found the answer to writer's block, just right anything every day when you get up and do this for an hour without stopping, do this for a month. It's an old trick but it works.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957545161716269528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-28131678693017044032012-05-18T15:45:06.203+01:002012-05-18T15:45:06.203+01:00Andrew, keep at it. That's really all I can sa...Andrew, keep at it. That's really all I can say.<br /><br />So many of us writers know exactly what you mean. OK, some get lucky, some of the time, but mostly it's hard slog for very little reward. Except the rewards of the actual writing, and those are very difficult to keep in view at times.<br /><br />Kepp at it. We will all be the poorer if you don't write your books.Rosalie Warrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10790708661647164052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-41265887161523047782012-05-18T10:38:58.061+01:002012-05-18T10:38:58.061+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sue Purkisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084528571944803477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-62141222907268508352012-05-18T09:52:59.798+01:002012-05-18T09:52:59.798+01:00to quote Larkin (if that's not too pretentious...to quote Larkin (if that's not too pretentious) there's a toad in my road too - the endless cycle of keeping the breadcrumbs on the table so that you can have time to write. Fortunately I have partner whose favourite food is left overs.There's no way I will give up - not until the masterpiece is created.Thanks for sharing.Lynda Waterhousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04880769618542325268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-86684577456199847312012-05-18T09:13:25.975+01:002012-05-18T09:13:25.975+01:00Haven't we all had days like this!! Thank you ...Haven't we all had days like this!! Thank you for putting this so wittily - making us laugh is the best antidote to all those moments when it all feels impossible.JOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03127111575563904349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-66675155703833023132012-05-18T09:10:33.714+01:002012-05-18T09:10:33.714+01:00If it's any consolation, if they are approachi...If it's any consolation, if they are approaching degrees, they will be in charge of their own budgets. Get one of them to be a banker or CEO and take care of you back! <br />More seriously, I do understand too. I work evening shifts so that I can write in the day. I find walking the dog on my day off helps, feels like a mini-holiday. And sleep, of course.Elen Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00445201005486291612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-25257294605036748272012-05-18T04:51:50.250+01:002012-05-18T04:51:50.250+01:00Does it help at all to say that some of at least u...Does it help at all to say that some of at least understand what you are going through? Probably not but there - I have said something too...not sure how I managed that.catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.com