Alex Miller's difficulties

In the SMH's Spectrum section on Saturday, Jane Sullivan interviewed Alex Miller (new book: Prochownik's Dream):

Writing has never been easy for Miller. Prochownik's Dream took three years. 'The first draft was done very quickly, in six months.[!] Then the hard work began. It takes me a while to quietly get to my people.'

He compares the process to that of the artist Giacometti, who kept scratching back his image and starting again. 'Each time he's starting from a more elaborate sense of failure.'

[Margo quietly adjusts expectations of self.]