My library does have a bunch of them. Thank you for the suggestion.
Actually, I also work on my novel on the job. I am very much not good at plotting, having an actual narrative arc. I think this is in part because I have written a reasonable number of short stories, and the plotting problem isn't quite as obvious in them. Anyway, one evening last week I just starting writing as roman-numeral numbered paragraphs my story arc. The first ten or so were what I already have drafted, and then I took a deep breath and plowed on ahead with what needs to come after. When I actually came to a conclusion, I raised my hands and said, "Yes!" and laughed out loud. A co-working, walking by said, "That certainly looks like a victory dance!" I then told her what I'd done.
What's best about working on the novel as compared to reading a book, is that it's not quite as obvious what I'm doing. The book is right there, and I'm clearly reading it. When writing, I'm heads up looking at the computer screen so I see people as they approach me and can immediately switch over to what I'm being paid to do. Revising from hard copy is slightly only more problematical, but as no one has ever looked askance at me or my manuscript pages, I think they assume that it's work-related.
If this novel is ever published I will have to include a line of appreciation to the place I work, thanking them for making it possible.
Oh. I had to give up reading Bill Bryson's books in public because I start laughing hysterically, and it was usually over something somewhat off-color, so it wasn't a good idea to try to share what was so amusing with a total stranger.
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