Writers in the Storm

A blog about writing

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December 25, 2013

You Know You're a Writer If . . .

I’m between books. Which is to say that I took two days to clean up everything on my ‘to do’ list, and today I’m diving into plotting my next book.

Yeah, right. Everyone who follows WITS knows I’m an inveterate pantser. Well, I’m turning over a new car (this is way harder than a leaf). The Book From Hell I just completed has convinced me there’s GOT to be a better way.

So I was avoiding, wasting time, researching how to change my process, and lo and behold, there was a squirrel. Oh, look!

I'm this fluffy after the stress of The Book From Hell

I'm this fluffy after the stress of The Book From Hell

I know, I know, I’ll get back to the process thingy, but this is really cool!

I ran across a link I’d saved in my “Inspiration” folder (See? I was working.) Ann Mulligan’s blog had a list of author quotes, each completing the sentence,

“You know you’re a writer if . . .”

Here’s a sampling of quotes from her hilarious post:

... you talk about your characters over the dinner table and your husband has the nerve to tell you they're not real people. ~ Mindy Obenhaus

... you go through keyboards like a pre-teen boy goes through socks. ~ Michelle Griep

... you eavesdrop at funerals. ~ Bonnie Calhoun

... your local police look at you funny because you're always asking how crimes are committed. – Deborah Anderson

... when your husband's bargaining chip for a new rifle is you get to go to a writer's conference.  ~ Ane Mulligan

Mine?

…When you travel to the area where you set your small town series, and you want to stop in and say, ‘Hey’ to your characters. No, seriously.

…When your hubby tells you about a conversation you and he had, that you have no recollection of.

…You go to the baby names book more than a woman who’s giving birth to sextuplets.

What about you? Put yours in the comments. Come on people, I need distraction um . . .

Cover Nothing Sweeter

The second book in Laura's Sweet on a Cowboy series, Nothing Sweeter, releases January 28th.

But you all know how important pre-sales are to rankings, right? I'm just saying...

28 comments on “You Know You're a Writer If . . .”

  1. ... when, in the middle of a conversation with a family member, you blurt out "Ohhh, that's what happens next" and run off in search of THE notebook (because it has to be THE notebook) to write the random thought down.

  2. You have more to-be-read books on your shelves than your husband has socks in his drawer.
    Your calendar contains marked dates for book readings, writer circle meetings and book releases.
    You frequent your local bookstore so often they know you by name.
    Your friends introduce you by saying, "This is Leanne. She writes."
    Your fingers are ink stained.
    Your husband knows not to distribute you when you're staring at a blank wall--because you're working.

  3. Your family often suggest 'real' jobs you could pursue while your 'hobby' takes off.
    When you read it's for more that the plot and character. Every book is a tutorial.
    And (this could just be me though) you have a strange love of stationary...

  4. ...you see a shiny bauble and say "Oooh! Cute Squirrel. I'll find a spot for it in my blog post. Somehow."

    ...you get far too animated when discussing sex toy shops at a party because one of your characters is determined to own the best. (true story)

    ...you're grateful you don't drink because (1) discussions at parties about sex shops could be worse, and (2) you scribble lines tossed like confetti by the happy, happy ones to use in your novels.

    ...you preorder a book before your MasterCard cycles because (1) it's written by a mega talented writer, and (2) you hope one day that writer will feel the same about your second baby.

  5. Aw wow, thanks, Gloria - I can't wait to return the favor! And the visual you just gave me about the sex shop is going to stay with me awhile!

    1. My woefully inadequate defense for engaging in that discussion is: I did not bring the conversation tidbit to the party.

      One of the women attended a milestone-birthday surprise party that was held at...

      [kazoo trill]

      The Velvet Box.

      I do not know where it is or exactly what they sell -- an education deficiency that will be corrected as soon as I be-bop on over to Google. Are you sure you don't want to come hang out with me in Dallas for a while? The places we'll go! The things we'll see!

  6. At Christmas, your mother-in-law tells of another family member's transient global amnesia, and then, catching the excited look on your face, everyone wants to know whether that will happen in your next book. Or the one after that. (You never know!)

  7. You know you're a writer if your entire mood/outlook on life and that of all the people in your life is contingent upon the success of a one hour writing session....

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