Henry Miller, mientras escribía Trópico de Cáncer, su primer libro publicado, preparó una lista de once mandamientos que debía seguir a rajatabla para que el proyecto llegara a buen puerto. Eran estos:
COMMANDMENTS
- Work on one thing at a time until finished.
- Start no more new books, add no more new material to «Black Spring.»
- Don’t be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand.
- Work according to Program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointed time!
- When you can’t create you can work.
- Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.
- Keep human! See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.
- Don’t be a draught-horse! Work with pleasure only.
- Discard the Program when you feel like it—but go back to it next day. Concentrate. Narrow down. Exclude.
- Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.
- Write first and always. Painting, music, friends, cinema, all these come afterwards.
