Michael Chabon’s second novel, Wonder Boys, was actually his third. His second novel proper ran away from him, bloating and rambling as it did so. His response was to set it aside and work on a new project, which turned out to be something of a caper about a writer who couldn’t finish his second novel.
Early on in the novel the writer’s mistress remarks to an already very tall transvestite in sky high shoes that she finds high heels difficult to walk in and doesn’t know how to do it. The transvestite’s response is simple:
“Practice.”
