[They are beautiful figures. Robert is tempted to watch more closely, but he needs to pay attention to his writing.
Murmuring half-to-himself:]
"I'm also having trouble... with my writing"? [He's hesitating as he speaks, but when he says them, he puts familiar intonations into them, trying to speak them like Don would. Robert has never been good at creative writing; therefore, the most literal interpretation (and thus the most accessible one to him) of this exercise is to literally try to sound like Don as he writes and recites.]
no subject
Murmuring half-to-himself:]
"I'm also having trouble... with my writing"? [He's hesitating as he speaks, but when he says them, he puts familiar intonations into them, trying to speak them like Don would. Robert has never been good at creative writing; therefore, the most literal interpretation (and thus the most accessible one to him) of this exercise is to literally try to sound like Don as he writes and recites.]