Thanks for the update, Barrett.  And, listen--I'm sorry to be an armchair quarterback without even having read the thing, but please keep in mind that your publisher is definitely going to want even that first chapter to feel personal--I know the true 'my life' emphasis doesn't begin till chapter 2, but chapter 1 can't feel (in the way so much of the proposal did) like a philosophical exploration of the importance of Anonymous.  I hear you about introducing stuff readers need to know for later, I hear you about not wanting the later narrative to flag--but even worse than the later narrative flagging is a first chapter A) that's especially long and B) that feels TOO global (i.e. not rooted in Gregg) or philosophical...

Again, I'm sorry to weigh in and potentially fuck w/ your rhythm as you're figuring this chapter out, but we have no time for misfiring, and so I just want to make sure that when you talk about "introducing concepts," and a chapter that is both conceptual and LONG, as the opening of the book--well, I just need you to tape a post-it with Gregg's name on the side of your monitor so that he, too, is somehow very much a part of this opening.

-D

________________________________
Dan Conaway
Literary Agent
Writers House
________________________________
From: Barrett Brown [barriticus@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 12:46 AM
To: Daniel Conaway
Subject: Re: Update

It's going to be a couple more days on the first chapter (my mom's birthday was yesterday and had to go to her sister's lakehouse) but it's shaping up the way I needed it to in order to introduce concepts that would otherwise have to be explained at the expense of the narrative in other parts of the book. The chapter will also be a bit longer than I expected so as to sufficiently establish Anon's vastness, significance, etc before moving on to a chapter and a half of biography.

On Sat, Feb 18, 2012 at 5:43 PM, Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com<mailto:barriticus@gmail.com>> wrote:
Not a draft, the chapters are in various states, just that each one is fairly close to done, in terms of how long they'll take to finish at this point. Basically, it's going to

On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 8:44 PM, Daniel Conaway <dconaway@writershouse.com<mailto:dconaway@writershouse.com>> wrote:
Thanks Barrett.

You're not saying you've got a full draft of the entire book, are you?

-D

Dan Conaway
Literary Agent
Writers House


From: Barrett Brown [mailto:barriticus@gmail.com<mailto:barriticus@gmail.com>]
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 05:21 PM
To: Gregg Housh <greggatghc@gmail.com<mailto:greggatghc@gmail.com>>
Cc: Daniel Conaway
Subject: Re: Update

It's better than it probably looks from your end; the other chapters were already in first person voice, just didn't have as many close connections to Gregg himself until I stuck in the various portions I got from Gregg during his visit. Then did some simultaneous re-rigging on the latter chapters to ensure continuity, etc. Now going back to chapter one and will be turning them in to you in order as they're completed. Will get back to you on Monday with chapter one, which, when read, should reassure everyone involved.

On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 3:18 PM, Gregg Housh <greggatghc@gmail.com<mailto:greggatghc@gmail.com>> wrote:
Just got done talking to Barrett.  He is going to respond shortly.  He is going to have me more stuff to look at and fact check / review asap.  We dont have the kids until tuesday night now, so I have a lot of time to spend for the next few days.

On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 2:44 PM, Daniel Conaway <dconaway@writershouse.com<mailto:dconaway@writershouse.com>> wrote:
So we're now about five weeks out from the delivery-and with a lot of work to do.  What have you guys been working on, specifically, since the chapter outline stuff?  Which I submitted to Julia-and they've just moved offices, which is a good excuse for them, but not for us.


Barrett, have you commenced work on switching the other chapters you've drafted into the first person voice?  And/or gotten to work on anything new?  Gregg, have you given Barrett factual feedback on that first chapter, as requested a week ago?

You should both continue working with the presumption that the outline you've drawn up is, indeed, the outline for the book.  Please make a date for the two of you to speak sometime this weekend and reconnect, come up with parallel to-do lists, a working plan-whatever the situation calls for.

Five weeks out from delivery...that's no time at all, I hope you realize...  I know you've got lots researched, Barrett, and some other chapters drafted, or partially so, but remember, everything has to be in the more personal voice, the less abstracted point of view, than what was in the proposal.


Let me know where things stand, OK?

Thanks.

-Dan




Dan Conaway
Literary Agent
Writers House
(212) 696-3825<tel:%28212%29%20696-3825>





--
Regards,

Barrett Brown
512-560-2302<tel:512-560-2302>



--
Regards,

Barrett Brown
512-560-2302<tel:512-560-2302>



--
Regards,

Barrett Brown
512-560-2302