Writer's life
Sir: The following facts may amuse your readers: I have been looking through old diaries since 1969. In six years I have written and edited twenty-five books; so far I have published some thirty books. Five of the twenty-five recent books were virtually complete by 1970 and were seen through the press; three are still in press; four were wholly written and edited and seen through the press in that period. I have thirteen books either under consideration or in revision, including one book of poems, two novels, one 700-page book on phenanenology and three initial works.
In the period I have had about sixty poems published, anci about eighty articles. I have received about £3,000 in research and creative writing grants. I did five months in Australia which cost me enormous quantities of work and £800, though it was in part subsidised; and I have done a half-stint of university teaching during this period, more or less.
On the six years, although there are about 750,000 volumes of mine somewhere (published since 1961), I am £4,000 down personally on the enterprise, and (although my wife has gone out to work) I do not see how I can survive as an independent author, despite an enormous programme. The new budget, inflation and the failure of Mr Jenkins to bring in a Library Lending Act will finish me.
David Kolbrooh New Farm House, Madingley, Cambridge
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