Deadlines are my bitch
My column made the front page of the paper today--w00t! Unfortunately, they published it with a really old, really lame
headshot of me, taken when I still wore my hair in a curly Colette-style bob. I"ve got my chin in my hand and look about 12 years old. Actually, if you go here and click on the date under today's edition and change it to FEb. 20, you can actually "read" the paper. (unfortunately I could only save a pic this big. I should see if I can get a PDF from them).
Ok, vanity aside--let me explain. Yesterday, Celia Franca, the grande dame of Canadian ballet, founder of the National Ballet of Canada, died at age 85. Around 4 o' clock, I get a panicked phone call from my editor:
"Um, can you write an 800-word tribute to Celia Franca?"
Me: "Not right now; I'm at work. I can maybe get to it after 6."
"Shit."
"Anyway, I've only interviewed her a couple of times, I wasn't a close friend or a former student. Shouldn't someone who actually knew her personally be writing this?"
"I can't get in touch with anybody. And I need somebody who can write well and fast."
"Well, like I said--I can get to it after 6."
"Ok, well, I'll try to find something else in the meantime."
At 6, I wrap up my "real" work and start writing this memorial. It felt somehow insincere--I barely knew the woman, and then only professionally and through her reputation.
However, half an hour later, I've managed to bang out 800 semi-literate, not overly maudlin words and send them to my editor.
"Oh. I had found something else to use. But maybe I can find another spot for this."
Me: "No sweat. Use it if you can." (under my breath I'm thinking, 'thanks for letting me know I didn't have to do this. I could have been home eating dinner by now.')
This morning, to my surpise, there I am on the front page. Above the fold even--right next to the main story and huge picture of Celia Franca. My editor sent me a note to say that he liked the piece so much, he thought it deserved A1.
Writing to deadline is my bitch.
EDIT: Some people were having problems with the original link--I suppose they updated it as soon as the next day's edition of the paper came out. I fixed it; it should work now.
Comments
The Article was wonderful. It made me feel like i missed out not ever meeting her. I had heard about her but never knew much about her. wow what a Lady.
i saw the paper this morning, and when i saw the headline was about a dancer, i checked to see if it was your article! :)
Go BrownA, go BrownA, it's ya birfday, it's ya birfday!
Um... and other literary and intelligent sounding things. Congrats! Way to kick it in the face. :D
I also cannot get to your column with the link you provided...&:o(
If you have a moment, please let us know how to get there...ok?
&:o)
Thanks for letting me know about the link--it should work now.
Congrats!!! That was a really well-written article...and to think you just whipped it up on the fly. Nice job, woman. Color me impressed! woohoo!
*goes back to look at and sob over my 5 things I'm good at list*
:-P
But we all knew you're faster than a speeding bullet, jumping tall buildings in a single bound....
Didn't you?
!yay!
Thanks everybody!
I think I have posted before about how being able to churn crap out quickly has always felt more like a party trick than actual, serious writing to me. In fact, I find the open-endedness of novel writing terrifying.
I did have a line in this particular column about how the ballet company "gestated" close to her heart for 10 months like a baby... then of course, the minute I hit "send", I realize how incredibly lame and stupid that sounds. Thank dog my editor took it out, I would have been so embarrassed...