tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post7490355618672032880..comments2024-03-27T17:03:57.341-04:00Comments on Murder is Everywhere: What not to say to a writerOvidia Yuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749549092493567689noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-1618647992096376772015-10-04T06:04:13.629-04:002015-10-04T06:04:13.629-04:00I realise I'm very late to this, but there is ...I realise I'm very late to this, but there is one I wanted to add. 'What do you actually DO all day?' <br /><br />A variant of this that I've heard more times than I care to remember is, 'Why do you need to get up in the morning? You don't DO anything.'<br /><br />A lot of people seem to labour under the delusion that books magically write themselves, while the authors just lie around in bed all day, drinking cocktails. Bellahttp://www.writersramblings.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-35091606153940319852014-11-23T11:23:52.837-05:002014-11-23T11:23:52.837-05:00Oh god I'm sure you must suffer terribly. I go...Oh god I'm sure you must suffer terribly. I got punched in the stomach by a student last year. My heart goes out to you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-36360564617129186992014-09-15T21:25:16.330-04:002014-09-15T21:25:16.330-04:00You can always use the southern women's phrase...You can always use the southern women's phrase "well now bless your heart". Translated it means "well now aren't you the biggest idiot I've come across in a long time". They will never know you just put them down hard but they will always question it in the back of their minds!DMichellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16401171846606897030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-19554665912306147262014-05-20T20:23:07.703-04:002014-05-20T20:23:07.703-04:00These days I'm getting the question, "How...These days I'm getting the question, "How do I put my book online?" When I tell the wannabe writer to finish her manuscript and then hire an editor, I get a perplexed glare in response. "What do I need an editor for?" often follows. Nancy J. Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14228901230896110347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-43480659197617458162014-05-15T16:15:51.327-04:002014-05-15T16:15:51.327-04:00The worst for me, and the most common: people aski...The worst for me, and the most common: people asking for free books, and getting very indignant when I reply "you can purchase them on amazon.com or in any bookstore". One time someone said to me, "I have a book inside of me that I just can't get out." Before I could respond, my boyfriend replied, "Maybe you need a good laxative."Regina Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09742093239084014213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-48789465822301717252014-05-12T03:06:11.194-04:002014-05-12T03:06:11.194-04:00One I find annoying is, "That must be so much...One I find annoying is, "That must be so much fun!" I usually can't help retorting that I don't find writing a book to be fun at all. It's a compulsion. Definitely not fun.Sheila Lowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02444737798319597136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-37767727522935201092014-05-10T12:30:18.808-04:002014-05-10T12:30:18.808-04:00Oh bliss, Zoe! Someone recently - and I quote - &q...Oh bliss, Zoe! Someone recently - and I quote - "let me in on the ground floor" of a great SF story idea about an imploding star. After asking me if I ever write SF (no). Then asking if I'd ever thought of writing it (no). Then if I would consider it. (Not really, no). I suggested he should write it but guess what? He hasn't got time.Catriona McPhersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17234089279665716446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-42842092626246007962014-05-10T00:45:41.238-04:002014-05-10T00:45:41.238-04:00I would add one more: "Oh, ANYBODY can write ...I would add one more: "Oh, ANYBODY can write a book."<br /><br />The leader of the group I was speaking to announced to the room, "Don't buy her book. I'll buy ONE and keep it in the library where you can feel free to check it out at your leisure."Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238416876705540286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-51589081059289480702014-05-05T11:00:26.441-04:002014-05-05T11:00:26.441-04:00Sagheer, you obviously have the intelligence of a ...Sagheer, you obviously have the intelligence of a mildly-retarded oyster if you think that your post would get anyone to click on your site.<br /><br />Get a real job, and stop wasting space.Tony Walker - an Englishman in Arizonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05345886327758090916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-89148020596667104872014-04-22T08:26:34.104-04:002014-04-22T08:26:34.104-04:00Envy is a terrible thing.Envy is a terrible thing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17482216928949561634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-76568690024429430552014-04-17T23:10:17.479-04:002014-04-17T23:10:17.479-04:00As for other professions, I'm a librarian and ...As for other professions, I'm a librarian and the most common thing I hear is, "Oh, I'd love to get paid to read books all day!" Umm, me too. If you see a job opening like that, let me know...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-68409211689096493032014-04-16T22:49:09.324-04:002014-04-16T22:49:09.324-04:00Worst writing advice I've heard: "Everyon...Worst writing advice I've heard: "Everyone has a book inside them. And most people should keep it there."Erica Elizahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14783899589722132397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-34502698075789413072014-04-16T22:29:05.161-04:002014-04-16T22:29:05.161-04:00I probably also ask uninteresting follow-up questi...I probably also ask uninteresting follow-up questions to accountants or engineers. Sometimes you just say anything to make small talk!<br /><br />It is unbelievably rude to ask what someone makes, but I think most of the other questions are intended to be polite. If I met a professional golfer I might blurt out that I don't golf.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08110213933809568684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-91392276835058004882014-04-16T09:42:43.080-04:002014-04-16T09:42:43.080-04:00I've had people say things to me like, "O...I've had people say things to me like, "Oh, I don't read that genre," or "I don't read fiction," with the strong implication that fiction isn't important. To which I respond, "Fair enough. But why would you tell *me* that?" It's like saying to a doctor, "I don't believe in medicine," or saying to a lawyer that they're all corrupt.Craig Laurance Gidneyhttp://www.craiglaurancegidney.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-75097329080682597272014-04-14T18:29:59.792-04:002014-04-14T18:29:59.792-04:00I got asked if I'd like her to read my next bo...I got asked if I'd like her to read my next book, "just to, you know, see if it's any good." I was stunned. I think I mumbled something about having enough readers already.Kaye Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05596677617002735674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-73090167172116793392014-04-14T13:54:20.440-04:002014-04-14T13:54:20.440-04:00It was kind of you to say they were nice people. T...It was kind of you to say they were nice people. They certainly weren't going to get any medals for sensitivity. I have a subjective and an objective (I think) response. The subjective is, how lucky they at least understand what you do. When I enter into such a conversation, the other person will say, "Oh, so you write mysteries." And I reply, "No, I write about mysteries." That stops the conversation dead. Huh? The objective, I think the question "Where do you get ideas?" does not necessarily indicate some kind of ignorance. Would it be better if someone asked, "What aspects of the world or the human condition most affects you, and are these the themes woven into your books?" I think writers may be bombarded with material but that there are some internal filters at work. In an interview, Ruth Rendell once said she did not know where Agatha Christie got all her "ideas," admitting Christie was better at plots than she. But it might have also been a back-handed compliment. Colin Dexter said he ended the Morse series because he was running out of ideas. He, too, cited Christie. So if Rendell and Dexter can talk about ideas, perhaps the discussion is worth having.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12558260338780425291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-8174797279838496672014-04-14T09:13:10.286-04:002014-04-14T09:13:10.286-04:00Oh, bollocks. I have indeed said to you/emailed yo...Oh, bollocks. I have indeed said to you/emailed you with "Here's an idea for you". Runs and hides ...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-83073470045837599132014-04-14T08:11:41.864-04:002014-04-14T08:11:41.864-04:00There was a lot of bitter laughter here when I rea...There was a lot of bitter laughter here when I read this: and I'm not even a published, well-known writer. So the fun never stops, does it? I also get a lot of: 'When are you going to finish/publish that novel then?' and 'When are you going to do some real work again?'Marina Sofiahttp://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-24325816025060404542014-04-14T05:39:00.099-04:002014-04-14T05:39:00.099-04:00I can well believe that, Warren. I seem to remembe...I can well believe that, Warren. I seem to remember hearing something about JK Rowling, that people tried to hand her their manuscripts to read at book signings, and someone else was there to make sure she never even touched them never mind looked at them, to save on claims she'd stolen someone else's ideas.Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-804404922862500842014-04-14T05:37:18.137-04:002014-04-14T05:37:18.137-04:00Ah yes! I've also received quite a number of a...Ah yes! I've also received quite a number of a variation on that theme: "I've never read any of your books ... but will you introduce me to your agent/publisher?"Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-19773071208996127052014-04-14T05:36:10.113-04:002014-04-14T05:36:10.113-04:00Much harder to keep the Fox from the door in my ex...Much harder to keep the Fox from the door in my experience, Jeff :))Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-84684003188560822292014-04-13T16:00:02.121-04:002014-04-13T16:00:02.121-04:00Enjoyed your post, Zoe. In a previous life I manag...Enjoyed your post, Zoe. In a previous life I managed R&D. We used to warn about unsolicited ideas (Oh, here's an idea for you). Shut the conversation off immediately, or you might find yourself in a patent dispute down the road. Not good party manners, I suppose...Warren Easleyhttp://www.warreneasley.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-42565583052565792862014-04-13T14:40:20.972-04:002014-04-13T14:40:20.972-04:00I have this idea... will you introduce me to your ...I have this idea... will you introduce me to your agent or publisher. Vicki Delanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01106480550553972177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-21795833078993340552014-04-13T13:58:36.031-04:002014-04-13T13:58:36.031-04:00I thought you would have said the Fox.I thought you would have said the Fox.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-12475487653220406572014-04-13T13:27:32.702-04:002014-04-13T13:27:32.702-04:00Hmm, no idea Yrsa, but one or two did start explai...Hmm, no idea Yrsa, but one or two did start explaining to me, in great detail, exactly what it was that *they* did. Let me just say I was not exactly enthralled ...<br /><br />Parties at your place are much more fun!Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.com