18 Sep 2014 53 Comments
Beyond Talks with Imaginary People: Ten Reasons the Rest of the World Thinks Writers Are Crazy*
1. At the table of a crowded restaurant, we debate the pros and cons of killing by poisonous gas or a slit to the throat.
2. Most of our texts to our friends read something like: “1236 words! You?”
3. We return to our manuscripts and add an adjective (only to take it out later in revisions) just so we can say we hit out daily word count.
4. We call our friends to share life events – “Brynn just got into college!” or “Brynn has a baby!” – and accept the ensuing congratulations like a proud mama, even though Brynn is not our daughter. Or niece. Or even a person, really.
5. One year later, we completely blank on Brynn’s name.
6. We convince our husbands to help us out with a sticky detail by contorting our bodies into complicated sexual positions. And when we figure out just the right angle, we pop up and rush out of the room, saying, “Thanks! Gotta get this scene down!”
7. We respond to highly erotic sex scenes by pointing out the missing commas.
8. We get caught checking out a teenaged soccer player, over two decades younger than us, because he reminds us of the hero in our book.
9. We make plans to meet up with our out-of-town best friend, with whom we’ve exchanged thousands of texts, emails, and phone calls, and ten minutes before we arrive at the destination, we turn to our companion and say, “Gee, I hope I recognize her.”
10. We spend hundreds of hours, over months or even years of our lives, sacrificing sleep and entertainment and time with loved ones, pouring our hearts and souls into a story that may never earn us more than spare change, may never be read outside a circle of our closest friends, may never amount to anything other than a file on our computer — and yet, we do it anyway. For the love of the story.
And then we get up the next day and do it again.
* This post is dedicated to Kimberly-Mermaid.
Sep 18, 2014 @ 09:55:18
Hahahaha – this is so funnysauce! And true! Love! 😉
Sep 18, 2014 @ 10:13:53
Thanks, Kerri. So…which ones are you guilty of? Come on, ‘fess up!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 09:56:27
Love this post Pintip. There were a couple I will NEVER admit to, but good to see them on the list, because yeah, I’ve done that:)…
Sep 18, 2014 @ 10:15:13
Okay, Denny, now you’ve got me speculating… Can you guess which one you inspired? 🙂
Sep 18, 2014 @ 11:09:25
LMAO – but I think it’s NUMBER 7? Maybe:)?
Sep 18, 2014 @ 11:22:17
Maybe…. 😉
Sep 18, 2014 @ 09:59:40
Are you trying to say I’m crazy?
Well, guilty as charged. LOL!
And don’t forget the conversations about dining on bugs.
Fun post, Pintip.
BTW, I think the world will be undoubtedly be reading your books. ::wink, wink::
Sep 18, 2014 @ 10:17:51
If you’re crazy, then I am, too, because we’re in this together, my friend! Which conversation about dining on bugs? Because we’ve had *lots* of them. My favorite is the one where we combined our two stories, and Brynn and Parker… ahem.
Sep 18, 2014 @ 13:55:14
Yeah. That was funny! We have to find our way to the cricket tacos. Kaitlin says no to that, but she will eat a bug costed in chocolate. 😉
Sep 18, 2014 @ 14:35:10
And maybe a scorpion lollipop or two? 🙂
Sep 18, 2014 @ 11:10:28
Hey Kim! I miss you:)! But when I saw this post was dedicated to you, I somehow understood:)…
Sep 18, 2014 @ 10:04:27
Great post, Pintip! Found myself laughing out loud at several! 🙂
Sep 18, 2014 @ 10:18:48
Thanks so much, Barbara! Do you have any reasons to add? 🙂
Sep 18, 2014 @ 10:20:03
I love this post. So funny and so true.
Sep 18, 2014 @ 10:20:46
Definitely hit the nail on the head with this–oh yeah! 😉
Sep 18, 2014 @ 10:38:42
Loved this post! You hit the nail on the head!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 11:03:34
OMG.. so perfect!!.. love your post.. 🙂
Sep 18, 2014 @ 11:07:29
Thanks Stephanie, Loni, Jodi, and Masha!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 11:12:13
I’m guilty of number 3. Although my version of it is not deleting things in the rough draft I know need to be taken out just so the word count won’t go down.
Sep 18, 2014 @ 11:23:34
Lol, Jessica. Too funny. Thanks for stopping by!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 11:38:50
Yes! #10 is my life summed up in a paragraph. Thank you, Pintip!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 13:17:29
Glad it resonated, Merry. Thanks for stopping by!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 11:53:04
Hand on the Bible, I will only confess to #10. The rest of you can just guess!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 13:18:19
So…you’re saying you ARE guilty of some of the others, Susan? Lol. 🙂
Sep 18, 2014 @ 12:31:50
Too funny! I’ve definitely found myself checking out MUCH younger guys…except I don’t have the excuse of writing YA or even NA! Yikes!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 13:18:58
Laura, you can always say you’re researching a future book. That may or may not ever be written. Lol.
Sep 18, 2014 @ 12:44:49
We write all day and delete all night. Spend hours agonizing over the hero’s nickname for the heroine. Congrats on your sale!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 13:19:31
Thanks so much, Mary Jo. And yes! Those two reasons, as well!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 14:05:04
Pintip – these are fantastic! Love that you dedicated it to Kim! I prefer killing characters with guns – but that’s my preference.
What’s really bad — is discussing sex scenes in B&N at critique group. Sometimes we forget to be quiet!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 14:33:51
Nan, I would love to be a fly-on-the-wall at your critique groups, just do I can see the passer-bys’ facial reactions! Thanks for stopping by…
Sep 18, 2014 @ 15:30:56
You’ve been adding adjectives to boost your daily word count, my dear CP??? That does it — I’m seriously adding adverbs to my count. Love this list, Pintip. So much truth in it. For me, anyway. I guess that makes me crazy! But in a good way, right?
*Waving* to Kim!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 16:31:54
You got me, V. Guess I won’t be able to pull that particular trick anymore. 🙂 And yes, you are crazy, but in the most “awesome” way possible!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 16:34:26
Oh, and for the record, I TOTALLY recognized you, Vanessa!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 17:26:04
Lol! I had an inkling about that one…
Sep 18, 2014 @ 16:26:53
I don’t know whether to be happy or sad that I resemble the items in your list. 😉
Sep 18, 2014 @ 16:32:16
Happy, Caryn. Definitely happy. 🙂
Sep 18, 2014 @ 16:39:12
#10, Pintip. Definitely #10.
Sep 18, 2014 @ 18:32:41
Yep, Suzanne. My feelings exactly.
Sep 18, 2014 @ 18:13:08
I am completely in love with this post. You absolutely nailed it and made me laugh over and over again. Love you crazy lady!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 18:32:13
Love you, too, Amy! I’m glad I made you laugh! 🙂
Sep 18, 2014 @ 19:01:26
What a fun post! I’m totally guilty of #7. Also, I carry on conversations with people who only exists in my mind. That’s not the troublesome part. The thing that gets me into trouble is that I’m the only one speaking out loud in those conversations. 🙂
Sep 18, 2014 @ 20:55:03
Lol, Asa. I’ve always heard that writers do that, but I never have. Sounds like I’m
missing out!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 19:01:51
So, so true! What a fun post, Pintip. Thanks!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 20:55:22
Thanks, Carrie!
Sep 18, 2014 @ 21:43:16
So Pintip, #9 and dedicated to Kimberly – wondering if that involved a trip to Kansas City….? Great post!
Sep 19, 2014 @ 00:03:40
Ha ha ha ha! Sorry, Julie, it’s not my place to confirm or deny. 😉
Sep 19, 2014 @ 18:00:53
Well played, Pintip. But I know the truth…
Sep 19, 2014 @ 07:24:44
Love this! And I really hope my #2 is WAY higher today (if not, I’m adding more adjectives and words like “passion” (those are for you, Kim!)
Sep 19, 2014 @ 07:39:44
Or you could just add “very, very, very” 7k times! Then you’ll be completely caught up. Lol. Thanks for commenting.
Sep 19, 2014 @ 12:23:39
Absolutely!
Sep 19, 2014 @ 12:51:28
Thanks, Dana! 🙂
Sep 23, 2014 @ 10:24:09
Love this Pintip. You hit the nail so beautifully on its head. XO
Sep 23, 2014 @ 14:14:53
Thank you, Diana!