One question that has been asked and will probably be asked of every writer at some point in their career is: where you do get your inspiration? Over the years friends and family have asked me when/how/why I write. Here are some of my (sometimes tongue-in-cheek) answers.
You know you’re writer when:
1. You're in the supermarket check out line and you overhear a conversation and you think, "Wow, that would make a fabulous story"!
2. You meet a beautiful, intelligent woman and think what a fabulous heroine she’d make and what your hero would think of her (this happens to me. A LOT!).
3. You wake up in the middle of the night with your heart literally pounding because your subconscious has suddenly given you a breakthrough on that tough piece of plotting you’ve been puzzling over for day/weeks and you can't get to a pen and paper fast enough.
4. You resent the sight of your family, even when they’re bringing you cake, because you need to take your fingers off the keyboard to accept said cake, and spend at least TWO SECONDS thanking them. Ugh!!
5. You meet a hot guy and …. (apply theory number two).
6. You read an excellent book and immediately start researching organ donation because you would gladly give away an organ to be able to write as well as X,Y & Z writer. Yep people, the green-eyed monster is alive and well, even amongst writers!
7. Your boss/colleague annoys the hell out of you and you spend AT LEAST one great hour plotting gruesome shenanigans for them in your current wip. I'm told this is a common trait.
8. Your diary shows you have a party/wedding/Bar Mitzvah/PTA meeting and you immediately grumble about how it will take away from your precious writing time. And don’t even get me started on my kids’ social calendar!
9. And last but not least, you know you’re a writer when no matter what’s happening in your life, you feel physically sick if, for any reason, you’re unable to get words down for long periods of time.
I’m sure there are hundreds more little traits that affirms your writer status. Feel free to share…
11 comments:
Love this Maya, am def guilty of number 1, 4, and 8 - the kids calendar in particular. Oh, and def number 6, like *alot*. Although sometimes I'd prefer to kill them than sell my own organs, lol!
How about when you know your hubby will be out of town overnight and all you can think about is the extra hours you'll have to write/revise? Or when your whole family is gone on a Friday evening and instead of looking up galpals to meet for drinks/catch a movie, you seize the free minutes to write! (and this is when I begin relating to all the troubled alcoholic, loners who were the great writers of yore)
You know you're a writer when....you can't stop obsessing about how well (or not) your NV entry is going, and why oh why you didn't think of a better plot/hero/heroine etc. (((sigh))) Caroline x
Yup, check. And definitely when the family is going away for a few days, you start thinking up excuses to stay home so you can have a couple of days to yourself to write!
Lol, Jo. Yeah, I guess murder makes more sense than organ donation! I especially hate it when said brilliant writing seems disgustingly effortless!! Ugh!
I hear ya, Piper! I rejoice when hubby’s working nights now because I know I can write without the constant interruptions, and thankfully, my girlfriends have finally accepted that writing comes first, lol!
*sigh* Caroline. I'm vicariously feeling your pain as I hold minxes’ hands through the "War of the NV Roses". I didn't think it could get worse than last year but it's shaping up to be just as bloody, isn't it? Hang in there, pal.
A few *days*, Jackie! I'd kill for a few days on my own to write! I keep threatening to book a few days in a cheap hotel, but I don't think hubby takes me seriously *grumble*
Oh not you too, Caroline! I swore I wasn't going to let it happen this year, but I've become NV obsessed.
You know you're a writer when ... you start noticing passive sentences, "had"s and "was"s in work emails and want to correct them.
I just love this post.
I was in a local cafe at the weekend and two guys were talking (loudly) and my ears were flapping big time. One guy called himself "the gastrom-rider" a big hunky guy on a motorcycle who looked as rough as guts and he rides around checking out cafes for other bikers to visit. And my immediate thought: Just the lover for my Daddy's rich and very spoiled little princess I'm writing.
Can't you just see it?
The overhearing was legit...he even gave me his card. Now can I dump my husband long enough to cadge a ride... hummm...some creative thought needed on that one.
I just loved this!
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