I’m uncomfortable blogging this, but, what the heck.

I officially started writing a book today. It’s called “Too Big to Know” (with a subtitle to be determined). It’ll be published by Basic Books. My manuscript is due on Sept. 30, 2010.

“Officially started” means that I rolled a new piece of paper into my word processor — with the subsidiary decision to use Pages as my word processor — and created a folder called “Chapt 1.” Quite a ceremony.

I’m not yet sure how much of the writing I’m willing to do in public. I wrote Small Pieces Loosely Joined that way, but I enjoyed writing Everything Is Miscellaneous with the door closed, so to speak.

Anyway, I don’t want to talk about the book. In part, it’s embarrassment at the audacity of thinking I can write a book on some topic, as if I knew something. (Hint: I don’t.) In part, it’s superstition — talk about what you’re going to write, and the magic writing beans won’t sprout. In part, it’s because for me writing, at the most basic level of sawing planks and planing edges, goes best with nothing distracting me from the day’s stretch of emptiness.

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