Back by overwhelming demand, Saturdays with Sawhole...again.
Sawhole has a wealth of real life experiences and claims to be the only known Bipolar Agony Aunt. There is nothing she can't handle. Do you dare share??
Don't forget to email your issue to mrswoog@hotmail.com. Try and keep them PG rated. You know who you are.
Dear Sawhole,
Recently a friend let me read a creative project they have been working on for years. I have read it thrice... and each time I come to the same conclusion. It is horrendous, and it would be a major crime if the world ever saw any part of it. On each re-reading I actually attempted to find a new/better way to view it. I read it once in the morning, once as I went to bed, and once after a particularly satisfying sandwich topped with a brownie. It did not improve (and now it has brownie stains on it). How can I tell this friend her labour of love should be burnt... without crushing her? Should I tell her at all?
Alyssa
Hi Alyssa
Mrs Woog and I had a similar incident about 10 years ago when we came upon a draft of an associates novel. The person in question thought it a good idea to run it past Mrs Woog, as she worked in publishing. The novel actually freaked us out a bit and we were going to call Lifeline and ask for an intervention. Very graphic indeed. Not that Mrs Woog and I are prone to creating drama to make our morning coffee more interesting.
First, the most important issue, the brownie stains. They may actually be your chance at freedom. I would say you were reading the document but accidentally damaged your copy during an unfortunate brownie incident. She will offer you another copy, of course, but I would say upon reflection I am not the right person for this, as I am too irresponsible and feel so terrible that you were not able to provide the feedback when she needed it.
If that fails, tell her some of us are creative minds, whereas others are mere dabblers.
Sawhole Tait
