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

Writerly Humor (Dark Humor)

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.

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