Today is IWSG day, a monthly event Alex Cavanaugh started to get writers sharing about their insecurities and other things. On the first Wednesday of the month, a bunch of us gather on the blogosphere to share...I'm not here to discuss an insecurity today. Instead, I want to acknowledge that sometimes writers get understandably annoyed with stuff people say to them. On Twitter, I recently found #TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter. A couple of my favorites came from writers I follow on Twitter, Medeia Sharif and Mark Koopmans:
"Why don't you write at home with the new baby. It'll be easy." #TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter pic.twitter.com/UsdyHbtjLf
— Mark Koopmans (@markjkoopmans) July 28, 2015
Writing is easy. You're just talking on paper. I can do that. #TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter
— Medeia Sharif (@sharifwrites) July 28, 2015
Medeia and Mark, if you're visiting here, I want you to know I hear you! =) *Fist pump* (And Mark, that's such a cute picture you posted!)
Although I didn't participate in the hashtag fest, I could certainly think of a number of things people have said to me that caused my eyes to roll internally, such as...Since you got that rejection, why are you still writing? Yes, someone actually said that to me.
Can you add to the list #TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter?
82 comments:
Those are both great choices. Thanks for sharing them.
Ha! Love that pic! :)
lol I've had quite a few said to me too. One was. "You're a writer, you must be rich." Pfffft as if.
Those are good!
HA! I saw such great ones when the hashtag was trending, but did not see these. Awesome! It's amazing the judgments and assumptions people make about writing.
These are funny and so true too.
Hmm. I can add to the list! How about:
"I have an idea for a book. I just need to find time to write it."
Because gee, if they could find a spare hour or two, it would surely be an easy thing to pop that baby out.
Also ... "You should get a movie made of your book."
Right! Never thought of that. Let me alert the film crew hanging out in my garage ...
"Since you got that rejection, why are you still writing?"
LOL. My reply: "And if the first person you ask out says no thanks, you take a vow of celibacy? And if you don't get the first job you apply for, you just stay unemployed?"
Love the tweets for #TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter! Funny and true. :)
LOL! Those are right up there with "I'll tell you my story and you can write the book and we'll split the money." Right . . .
How about this one I got a few years ago in an email from a stranger.
"I have an idea for a book. I just need to find someone to write it for me. Your writing is pretty nice. If you'd just write up my idea, I'd be willing to give you a small but reasonable percentage of the profits."
Seriously.
Hey Cynthia :)
Thanks for the shout out - much appreciated!!
(The background to my tweet is I've been a stay-at-home Dad for eight years and when #1 Son was born, I decided to quit my journalism day job so I could watch the baby and write amazing prose...
I mean, infants only poop, eat, sleep and poop again.. I can pump out a novel in six months... right?
I. Had. No. Clue.
:)
PS: Glad you liked the picture, but full credit goes to the photog: http://www.flixya.com/photo/1904238/Funny-Crying-Baby
Yes, non-writers are very clueless about the work involved in writing and the realities of getting a manuscript published. That's why it is so important to have supportive and encouraging writer friends like you!
Hi Cynthia,
Can I add to it? You bet I can. I get those looks when people are looking for someone to volunteer at church for an activity. It's that, "but since you stay at home, you should be able to...." and I look upward because I could virtually kill them. Or, "why so you need a whole day to write one page. I don't understand. It takes me only a few minutes to write a letter to someone." And I can go on and on.
I am laughing right now because when I think of some of the things I experience, they are funny.
Thanks. I needed to read this one this Monday morning.
Shalom,
Pat
Those are great. The one I've had quite a few times if I mention I'm a writer is "oh, like JK Rowling". Well, not really. I mean, we both put words on paper, but we don't have too much in common apart from that.
I missed Mark's! So glad you shared it. Writing with a new baby is so hard!
I related to just about every tweet in the hashtag. People also tell me they wish they had the time to write, as if we have buckets of time. No, we make time for it. I also dislike huge favors asked from non writers, again as if we have buckets of time.
People who aren't writers just don't get it.
Oh wow, I can't believe someone said that to you! I'd like to add: anything that starts with "You should," such as, "You should write about XYZ, because that's what [Famous Author] writes about." (I've gotten this one a few times.)
Hehehe those are good ones! I actually managed ten things for the hashtags. Main one being: Oh come on it's writing. What's so hard about that?
Hahahaha, Mark's is so funny. Medeia's too. I agree with both of them. I'll add one. "I have a book in me. Should take me a week to get it typed up." UGH. Happy Blog Blitz Day. You da one!
I can't add any comments as I am not a writer, just a wannabe blogger! I am visiting as part of the Blitz team! Have a great day.
Really, the expression on the babies face says it all. My least favorite, "Are you STILL writing that?"
or maybe, "Is it really blitz day?"
Here's another one for you..."You finished that book almost six months ago, why haven't I seen it in print yet?"
BTW...you're being BLITZED today. Enjoy! :)
Happy Blitz Day!
And guess what? Happy Blitz day!
How about: When is it going to be on sale? Surely you've worked on it enough.
Or: Why don't you write children's books? There's always a need for them.
Arrrgh!
Happy Blitz Day, Cynthia!
This is painfully true. Non writers always "have a book inside me" but their lives are just so much busier than ours. Ugh. If they truly had a book in them, it would have to come out. Ugh. Happy Blitz Day!
Love those! Thanks for the laugh this morning. Happy Blitz Day! :)
Ha! What a fun hashtag fest. I'm so happy I only let very few people know I was writing before my first book was published. I probably would've become so discouraged by thoughtless comments like these that I might've given up. Not that the irritation stops after having a book out in the world - don't ask a writer immediately after a book release, "So when's your next book coming out?" It takes time, people!
I love that one about being able to write at home with a new baby; apparently that is no one that ever tried to do so. I'm not a writer but I work at home and I remember trying to do so with a new baby, thinking he would sleep and I could work. LOL, I quickly learned to redo my expectations. Happy Blitz Day!
betty
"just talking on paper" cracks me up.
Happy Blitz Day!
One phrase I hear a lot from my hubby and friend when we're watching TV or a movie is "I can write better stuff than that." (Okay, I'm paraphrasing there, because I want to keep this clean!). Before I started writing novels, I never really paid all that much attention to those remarks. But now that I know how hard it is to actually write a story? I now come back with, "Yeah? Prove it."
Have a Happy Blitz Day, Cynthia!!
Those are both great ones. They made me want to smack my forehead. ;)
Happy blitz day!
I suppose they mean well, but part of me would like to "Gibbs-slap" them upside the head, know what I mean?
Have fun getting BLITZED!
Great post, and we can all share something not to say to writers, I'm sure. Lol
Happy Blitz Day!
Love the baby! After a very long summer, I'm glad my son is back in school. Happy blitz day!
I think all writers have heard some variation on the things that came up on that hashtag! Happy blitz day! :)
People have no idea what goes into writing well.
Back for the Blitz! Have a great day! :D
haha! that was SUCH an awesome hashtag day on twitter, I had a blast with it. HAPPY BLITZ :)
Happy Blitz day ot you! :)
Interestingly enough, most people I meet are impressed that I write, and say, "I could never do that!"
However, as a librarian I frequently get the stupid question, "What do librarians even DO? You must read a lot!" that sort of thing.
I think I already commented on this post, but I'm back to say Happy Blitz Day, Cynthia!
I wish writing were as easy as "talking on paper". I guess if I got one of those software programs that converted speech to writing it might be kind of like that, but I don't quite think so.
Happy Blitz Day!
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Came back to wish you a very happy Blitz Day!!!!
LOL! Oh my goodness, those are priceless. (Says the woman with a new baby.)
Happy blitz day, woman. Sending cheese and love.
Here's one my mom says: How many times are you going to revise that? Happy Blitz Day!
Writing is definitely far from easy. I hate it when people like that it is.
HAPPY BLITZ DAY!!!!!! :D
Oh my! So true. Happy blitz day!!
I love these! I've also gotten "Why don't you do something like 50 Shades and get rich too?" and "Hey, I found your book on XYZ "free" site. I downloaded it for free, and I'm going to read it one of these days when I'm not busy. Really." Or "Can you lend me a copy of your book? The library doesn't have it." And I particularly like, "How many copies of your book have you sold, and how much do you make from each copy?" I usually see my husband standing to the side mouthing "NO!" because he knows I'm about to ask the person how much money they make and what they have in their bank account...
Oh well...happy Blitz Day!
I loved this Twitter thread. Mine was something like, "Oh, anyone can write a book. It's easy." How often have I heard that one? Also, "I have an idea for a book [or movie]. But I can't tell you in case you steal it." The flip side being them describing it in detail and me thinking, "Then just go write it already." Worse, they'll ask if I'll write it for them! Anyway, Happy Blitz!
I enjoyed that one on Twitter, too. My personal least favorite people say is comments that assume my work is autobiographical. FICTION peoples.
Love that hashtag. Happy Blitz Day! :)
That was one of my favorite hashtags in quite a while. My contribution was 'your MC would be so much more believable if you changed her to a man'. Ugghhh...
Happy Blitz Day :)
Just talking on paper - right!
Happy Blitz Day.
Happy Blitz Day!
I would say.... How can you love writing? Been doing it for ages....
Happy Blitz Day!!!
How about this one? "Now that you've finished writing your book, you should have time to read and edit my manuscript, right? It just needs a little work..."
Happy blitz day!!!
My favorite is: I've got an idea. I'll give it to you, you write it, and we'll split the money. Um. Sure. I'll get right on that.
Mark and Medeia rock!
Happy Blitz Day!!
Love those! I had the "So, what makes you think you can write a book?" - agh. Definitely, not something to say to a writer, especially after the writer has written and published more than one book.
Happy Blitz Day!!!
Since you're not making any money, why d'you bother, is another thing that shouldn't be said to a writer.
I loved that hashtag. One comment that never fails to make me cringe is, "So how is the book selling?" I know people think they're asking "so how's business?" or something similar, but to me it's like the equivalent of asking someone's salary. Or when people start to talk about reviews. I have literally plugged my ears before I could hear something I didn't want to.
Happy Blitz Day!
That is one grumpy looking baby! And having tried writing at home with a newborn, I can say with great certainty: it doesn't work.
Happy Blitz Day!
Hope you've had a super fun blog blitz day!
Happy Blitz Day. People who aren't writers have no idea what it's all about.
Oh wow - that's craziness. I totally missed that hashtag - darn it.
Happy Blitz Day!
Hi Cynthia and Happy Blitz Day!!!
I can't even write sometimes because of pets and a fractured tune whistling husband...
But, back to the blitz! Happy!
Those tweets are hilarious! I just have to tweet my own one of these soon.
Happy Blitz Day!
Heehee, I reposted that 10 Things... on my blog too! Happy Blitz Day!
Those are great! Unfortunately, comments like those are the reason that I sometimes don't share the fact that I'm working on a book!
Happy Blitz Day!
Happy Blitz Day Dear :)
Wonderful! The only thing new I can add is when I had an article published and someone said, "Oh, did your father-in-law help you with that?" (My f-i-l isn't even a writer!)
Happy Blog Blitz Day!
Visiting again for the blitz. :)
People think its easy to write, until they actually sit down to try it themselves. My family members finally said they have better things to do with their time. Not that they couldn't write a book, its just for people with no other skills. And of course, why do it unless you can earn big bucks like King or Rowling.
Have a good day Cynthia. This is still Tuesday, right?
I don't have anything to add in terms of general annoyances, but one thing that really bugs me (and I have no idea why) is 'how do you come up with your ideas?' That goes hand in hand with 'writers are so temperamental!' Happy Blitz Day :-D
Always a good topic for a good comedy-drama. Keep rockin', Cynthia!!
Yeah, I've heard these and many more.
We are SO misunderstood.
:)
BAZINGA!
You've been blitzed!
Enjoy your day!
Heather
I saw that hashtag when it ran, but I stayed away. I thought I would get too mad! Happy Blitz Day.
:-) Happy Blitz Day!
Happy blog blitz day!
I like Mark's line - except that I found writing with a new baby easy! I just got my pen and paper out every time she napped. It's the *editing* of all those scribbles that a baby doesn't allow time for! When do I get a couple of hours to myself in the evenings? When she's of schoolage? :-)
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