I’m going to admit something. I am starting to get pissed. (No, I’m not talking about the British version of the word.) Let me just say, it takes a LOT to piss me off. I’m kind of one of those slow burn people. I don’t get mad easy, but once I do forgetaboutit. I rarely forgive and I NEVER forget. What has my knickers in such a twist? Is it the politics of publishing? The controversy over the Rita Award? Erotic romance versus traditional romance? Ah, no.
What has me in a rolling boil is something that happens whenever I start to chat with strangers. The conversation is cruising along pleasantly, then someone asks what I do for a living. Now, you have to realize something: when I was a flight attendant, I always received one of two responses to my answer. The first was “Oh, I always wanted to be a flight attendant, but…†The second veered off into the rude realm. There are only so many times you can hear “Did you ask, coffee, tea, or me?†before someone loses an eye.
So back to my pleasant conversation, which went something like this:
“Jordan, what do you do for a living?â€
I smile that brittle ‘get me the hell out of here’ kind of smile before answering, “I write.â€
“Oh, do you have anything published?â€
I debate whether to answer truthfully because I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t. “Yes, a few.â€
“What do you write?â€
At this point, I’m ready to throw up my salad. “Erotic romance, urban fantasy, and paranormal stuff,†I say, declining to go into detail about vampires and werewolves at the table for fear of sounding insane.
“I’ve always wanted to write a book. I even have an idea that I think would be great.â€
You and every other person in this outdoor mall. Stop talking about it and just do it.
No, I don’t say that last part aloud…at least not all of the time. *g*
Why is it that most people think writing a book is the equivalent to applying lipstick? Just pick any old color and slap it on your lips. It baffles me. There’s no researching the market or learning how to write. That’s just silly stuff. They think that if they slap words on the page it will suddenly morph into a book. Yep, and if I stare at Heidi Klum long enough, I’ll suddenly grow five inches and drop seventy pounds.
The other day I was speaking with a friend of mine, who had started writing a book several months ago. I asked him how it was coming along. His answer really struck home to me. He said, “Not very well. I wrote quite a bit, but then lost interest.†I asked why and he responded, “I needed something that gave me more instant gratification.â€
I have to say I was shocked. I never once thought of writing a book as a way to achieve instant gratification. I think that’s the part of the equation that most people miss. They think that you write a book, it’s immediately published, and then you’re rich forever. No one thinks about the blank screen, deadlines, or dropped deals. Writing a book is a fairytale to them, much like fame.
The second the work starts most people are out of there. And frankly, I’m grateful. It’s already an over-crowded playing field.
No related posts.
I happened upon a copy of Don Quixote on my shelves and decided to read it. I’ve just now stopped at the end of the first part, but I read the prologue to the second (published in 1614) which includes the thought:
‘For I know very well what the temptations of the Devil are, and that one of his greatest is to put it into a man’s head that he can write and print a book, and gain both money and fame by it…’ – and then he suggests a rather rude story to be told to aspirant writers.
Nothing new under the sun.
Wow Marianne, I didn’t know that. I’m going to have to dig through the boxes of books and find our copy. Thanks for sharing.
Maybe Nike was on to something
Jordan Summers is weary of wannabes: “Jordan, what do you do for a living?” I smile that brittle ‘get me the hell out of here’ kind of smile before answering,…
Maybe…:lol:
First, let me say I am not a writer. I’ve written technical materials but that really doesn’t count. If I were to say to an author, “I’ve always wanted to write a book and I have a great idea,” I’m not saying that I want you to do it while I reap the rewards. And I’m not saying it is an easy thing to do. What I am saying is that I admire you because you had the drive and determination to to take the risks, and I’m still standing over here with my dreams unexpressed. Writing is hard work, if it wasn’t everyone would have written a book. Most people do have ideas they’d like to put down on paper but have no idea of how to start. Getting those ideas from your head to the paper and not knowing how to go aboutit is scary. The fear of not doing it right or of having what they do write shot down stops most people.
Emdee, Beginning writers are not the people I’m referring to here. Fortunately, it’s easy to tell the difference between people like you, who have a genuine urge to learn and don’t know how to get started and the people who want me to write the book for them. The latter group ALWAYS tells me about their great idea, then asks if I can write the book. *ggg* I’ve helped many beginning writers with book and publisher suggestions, and I will continue to do so. We were all newbies once.
AMEN!!
Whenever anyone asks me for a free copy, I simply reply with, “Are you nuts? You’re a friend…I expect you to buy one!” Then I explain about sales and velocity, etc, etc. I rarely give away free books to friends/family unless it was already released and no longer available or if I know they are avid readers and I’m trying to get them hooked. In fact, in my family, esp. with my category books, I expect them to buy more than one copy and give the second to a friend!
Tracy,
Julie, Good for you! I was giving my mom free copies for a while, but then she told me she preferred to buy them. I believe she’s the only one in my family who has purchased my books. :-/
Great post, Jordan, one I believe we can all relate to. Just recently, my brother in law, who is a purchaser for the government, told me when he retires he’s going to write and publish a book. It can’t be all that hard, he goes on to say…underlying meaning…(after all Cathryn did it)
My husband pipes in and asks..what are you going to write…How to be an Idiot…for Dummies?
Jordan,
Good blog.
I’ll admit that I sometimes have this reaction to people who say they’ve always wanted to write a book. But actually I have a worse reaction to people who stop by my table at book signings and tell me directly, to my face, “I don’t write that kind of trash.” Now granted that doesn’t happen often, thank goodness. But the few times it has happened astounds me.
Denise A. Agnew
http://www.deniseagnew.com
LMAO Cathryn! Oh my goodness. That’s great. Your dh deserves a big kiss for that one.
Denise, I’m forever amazed what people will actually say, thinking there will be no repercussions. Working on the plane gave me LOTS of practice with comebacks, so I have to remember to bite my tongue. I think the most outrageous thing someone said to me was that they felt sorry for my husband, implying that I practiced what I wrote with other men and that I was in general a wild woman.
I told her that she would be amazed at how boring I actually am. *ggg* Then again, maybe she knew me when I was in my early twenties and single. 
Lordy, Jordan! A woman said that to you? Man. One time, when my husband was still in the Army, some of the guys in his office asked him what I did for a living. He said, “she’s a romance writer.” One of them immediately said, “hey were does she get all those ideas for the love scenes?” My husband turned an alpha eye on him and said, “Where the hell do you think? Me.” LOL!!!!
Denise
Denise, Yep, she did in a flyby kind of way. She’d swung by my table, said it, and would’ve kept going but I stopped her. (wg)
My dh says the same thing. *g*