Giving people funny ideas
I've come to the conclusion that we writers are rather strange. When viewed by the rest of the population, that is. I prefer to think it's the other way round and that civilians (as I regard non-writers) are the odd ones.
Isn’t it natural to enter a room of people and want to stand in the corner, watching them all and taking mental notes? Or when sitting in a restaurant to ask the person you’re with to stop talking because you’re so transfixed by the conversation taking place on the next table?
This can, of course, create the wrong impression. Civilians can think we writers are nosy (up to a point, Lord Copper) or standoffish (no, merely born observers and often shy). A few years ago I decided to try writing a crime novel. So I began to think seriously about motives for murder. Living in a small village where I knew most of the neighbours and was privy to all the gossip, I heard all sorts of stories that triggered my imagination. Occasionally, when completely stunned by the fictional possibilities of what I was hearing, I would forget myself and blurt out something like ‘That sounds like a fantastic idea for a murder!’ or ‘Why hasn’t someone bumped her off?’ People would stare at me nervously, or remember they’d left something on the stove, and leg it. I’m sure they were very relieved when we moved away. They probably thought I was on the run from the police.
My attempts at writing crime didn’t work so now I’m having a go at chick lit. We’ve only been living in our new village for just over a year, and I’d like to live here for a good deal longer, so I can see I’ll have to be very careful about what I say when talking to neighbours. If I start mentioning the romantic possibilities in everything that happens, it could lead to all sorts of embarrassing misunderstandings.
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11 Comments
J
Just don't tell them you're a writer or nobody will ever tell you anything again! Tell them you're a sex addict and they'll embrace you.
(a girl once told me she was a sex addict and I embraced her immediately :-)
Spangles - this blog made me laugh it was so cute... we are different in manner ways, a great deal more observant I think. Can read people better, it's amazing what you discover about a person by just watching how they hold themselves and their body language... You can also most times pick up on weaknesses.... My father has a habit of doing that and can easily take advantage of people through their weakness....
Pat, I loved your joke!
I have always loved people though and am endlessly fascinated by them. This is reflected in the types of study (anthropology) I did and the types of work I am attracted to. I have worked mostly in mental health and community based projects where an affinity with people is essential. My work informs my writing I suppose. I don't believe I stand out as especially different or special because I am a writer if this makes sense. I am what I am. I never knew I could even write until three years ago.
I am waffling so I will shut up now
Hahaha!!! go figure!!!!
Nice to meet you Spangles
Nibs
:o)
Years ago an acquaintance wrote a novel that was clearly based around her closest friends. When it was published, one of the friends - who was a friend of mine - was desperately upset to discover herself in the novel. And when I read the novel I could see her in there too, except that the character I thought was so blatantly her wasn't the character that she had identified. I also spotted someone in a walk-on part who I thought might be me…
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