How to Talk to a Writer

I’m madly working on my book launch, scheduled for March 7th. So, instead of writing a new article, I’m reposting this from a few years ago for anyone who didn’t read it then:

My efriend, Kirk Allmond, had a hilarious rundown 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.
• Writing 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. It’s easily confused with 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 [think: The Picture of Dorian Gray].

I have more pithy ideas for you, but I have a book to write. Well, I’ll just look in on Instagram…

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, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the Man vs. Nature saga. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice,  a columnist for TeachHUB and NEA Today, and a freelance journalist. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Survival of the Fittest March 2019. You can find her tech ed books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning

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