September 23, 2013
How to Talk to a Writer
I’m reposting this from Today’s Author, for anyone who didn’t read it there:
My efriend, Kirk Allmond, had a hilarious run down of what NOT to say to a writer. Well, they were all true, but I still couldn’t stop laughing. Truisms like, “Leave a writer alone when they’re writing. You have no idea how difficult it is to enter the zone.”
So I decided to put together my own list of how to talk to a writer. See if you agree:
- You can’t scare me. I’m a writer.
- Patience and writing is an oxymoron
- Patience and writers aren’t friends
- Must. Remember. To. Eat.
- Some days, writing looks a lot like work.
- I successfully spelled ‘Worcestershire’ today in my book.
- There are days I wouldn’t know a good plot twist if I woke up next to one.
- Trying to write good dialogue is like trying to ignore a rejection letter.
- Life after the 100th rejection is what Oprah might call a life-defining moment.
- Understanding a writer who’s in the zone is like understanding the meaning of life.
- Some days, I need a map to find my muse.
- This is my writer’s face. This is my ‘go away’ face.
- My head is like a bad neighborhood none of my characters want to live in.
- Despite my past experience with agents, my mind is open to a miracle.
- I keep a portrait of Mark Twain in my attic.
I have more pithy ideas for you, but I have a book to write. Well, I’ll just look in on Twitter…
More humor-and-writing posts:
Inspirational and Humorous Quotes–Part I
How to Add Humor to Dull Characters
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Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. She is webmaster for six blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com and TeachHUB, Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, Cisco guest blog, and a monthly contributor to Today’s Author. In her free time, she is editor of a K-8 technology curriculum and technology training books for how to integrate technology in education. Currently, she’s editing a thriller that should be out to publishers next summer. Contact Jacqui at her writing office or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.
