Since I started writing and hanging out with writers, I’ve been feeling out the murky parts of my relationship with my husband it pertains to my writing habits. I saw the below image on Rachael Standord’s blog and I thought this defined perfectly what I’d been thinking.
How wonderfully true! When I tell people I’ve written a book, I want to punch them in the face when they ask when they’ll see it at Barnes and Nobel. When someone tells me they’ve ever thought of writing a book but don’t have the time, I want to tell them that I don’t have the time either, but I still did it so they need to get their butts in gear. My browser history while wiring my 1920s novel was more about alcohol and Tommy guns than anything else and I am not an alcoholic nor a gun aficionado. If I’m writing and you want to say hi, be careful because I’m likely to go after you with a pen. Ever time another writer comes over, I clean my bookshelf so they can look at it, because I know they will. I even leave it out at parties and hope that someone will ask to borrow something.
Are these true for you as well? What else would you add to this list?
Until next time, Reader, write on.
I love these tips. I think I’ll sew them into a t-shirt and wear it whenever I leave the house 🙂 Having just finished my first novel and begun the query/submission process, I’m a frequent victim of (1). And anybody browsing my history would be certain to call the cops.
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When I started being a part of the writing community, I was happy to learn “I’m not a serial killer, I’m a writer” was a common phrase. It made me feel a lot safer about my browser history.
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My Ex was famous for making me cry. I’d bravely show him something I’d written and he would rip me a new one. Sometimes it would be so bad I wouldn’t be able to write. I’d add to the list: Be supportive of your writer. Shut down the editor and crit voice unless asked. The spouse or boyfriend should be supportive — we have editors and crit for the rest.
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I struggle with this one because I’ll ask my husband for a critique and he never gives me one. He prefers to let my Beta readers do it, but I prefer to give my Beta’s something that’s already edited.
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My Ex wasn’t a reader, the last book he read was assigned reading in High School — so I’d hoped he’d be more supportive. I haven’t encountered a beta so vicious.
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If someone doesn’t read, I find they look at literature differently. They want it to be more like a movie or TV show instead of a novel. It’s hard to compare the two.
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Reblogged this on Adventures in Writing.
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Love this! Will tweet via @authorrbaustin.
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Thanks for the tweet! I just followed you at @SamAnnElizabeth
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Thanks! I reciprocated. 🙂
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So true on many levels. I quite often feel sorry for my other half. He’s not a reader and writing is an alien concept to him – yet he does his best to be supportive. If I talk to him about writing he gets that uncomfortable expression men wear if their wife asks them if they look fat in an outfit… no matter what he says it’s likely to be wrong. I think that list gives a solid heads up!
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My mom’s like that. She does read, but the idea of being a writer is so strange to her that if I ever bring it up, she does the ‘smile and nod’ bit until I’m done talking. Maybe this list is good for any relationship with a writer.
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