Writing is definitely one of those processes where you have
to watch yourself because the crazies are just around the corner. I just
blabbed for nearly twenty minutes on the mechanics of sky ships in my WIP. I mean really? Really?
Okay, so on the plus side that means I’m super excited, but
on the down side, it’s clear I’ve moved straight from “This is hard!” to “OMG,
let me tell you every detail about my novel and why it’s so freaking clever!”
But Rena, you ask, why is that a problem? Right, well this
is generally a problem because I usually pay attention to how I’m holding the
attention of people I’m talking too, but when I’m excited about something, that
skill goes away. I can’t see their eyes glaze over as I talk about using
blasting caps to start the engine (totally legitimate) in a society without
reliable electricity and batteries. They don’t care that my favorite cure for a
dull scene is to have someone shoot someone else (not even out of character,
mind). I can’t tell that they aren’t interested in my word count.
That’s because talking about a book that exists only in your
head or your hard drive is not something you can have in common with anyone
else (except writers and a few betas). No really, if you dreamed it up, those victims listening to you blather
on about your WIP really have no point of reference. Which sort of means it’s
almost rude to talk about your lovely novel.
On the flip side, your WIP is probably consuming your life,
eating every second of everyday. I don’t know about you guys, but when I’m
writing a new piece, everything reminds me of my WIP. Driving down the road and
a car’s exhaust drowns my car in fumes and I think “Oh, shoot, did I give that
engine belching burnt oil enough description? I could add smell… wait, would it
smell the same as refined oil in the suburbs? I’ll have to look that up.”
When I'm totally obsessed with my WIP, I know it’s
time to watch what I say. It’s not the end of the world to talk someone’s ear
off, but trust me, it’s all about you, not them. Every conversation should be a
give and take.
PSA over. Now get back to writing.
This post actually had me laughing. Great post!
ReplyDeletewww.modernworld4.blogspot.com
Thanks, Gina.
DeleteVery funny post. :) I know my husband is sick of hearing about my writing. (Unless I'm working on the zombie book, then he gets all excited, too.) :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, my whole family now just wants to know when I'll be published. They've moved to the "we don't care about details, just results" phase of having a writer in the family.
DeleteOh yeah that happens to me too. I sometimes have to bite my tongue just to remember that I should be shutting up.
ReplyDeleteI bite my tongue a lot. It's just so easy to talk about these characters because they've become such a part of my life. But silence is golden (but duct tape is silver...).
DeleteYou are so right Rena. No one can possibly understand or appreciate the story and characters that live in our head or on our computer. That's why when people ask what I'm writing about I usually give a very vague over view and ask a question about them. haha :)
ReplyDeleteI have started to go vague. I used to tell people very specifically, but after enough glazed expressions, I know they're interested in the idea that I might a published writer, not some wannabe working on a novel.
DeleteLOL! I totally need to get lost in a new WIP. *sigh* Ridiculous as it may sound, I don't need anyone to blab at about how awesome my book is. I'm happy to talk to myself.
ReplyDeleteDon't look at me strange. It's healthy.
I think...
Ditto.
DeleteAnd LOVE the psa. Needed to be said. Family members only care so much. Friends, too. Plus, I think it helps to keep all that excitement to yourself so that it spills onto the page. You talk about it a lot, and you lost some of the wonder when writing (sometimes). Or maybe I'm just superstitious.
Yup, totally healthy. In fact, I do it myself, and I am a paragon of healthy behavior.
DeleteThe last day of the conference I was at I was sitting at a table talking about British words with other authors when I realized my WIP lacked any mention of snogging. I vowed to fix that error right away. Someone else might not get it, but other writers do :)
ReplyDeleteI love it. I use more british slang than most people from the States, so I am often asked if I'm from England.(never been, want to go)And then, because they can't believe I'm from the US, they ask if I'm Canadian... Maybe I should sprinkle more into my novels...
DeleteI hardly ever talk about my WIPs. I still suffer from those days when saying, "I want to be a writer" offered the same kind looks as the people who say they can't work due to back pain. I just tell people I make crap up and try to get paid for it.
ReplyDeleteThe only people I talk to are my family and a couple of really close crit partners. When people ask what I do, I always give my paid occupation. The reason for that is because this whole writing thing is a huge secret I've kept from my professional life. They really frown on things like creativity, so they don't know I write.
DeleteLike Elizabeth, I rarely talk about my WIP. If someone asks me what I'm working on (as they did today) my answer is highly likely to be, 'Oh a kind of novel-ish thing'.
ReplyDeleteWhen asked directly, I do sort of pooh-pooh what I'm doing and get vague.
DeleteBut if they ask for specifics, I can't help myself. It can be embarrassing if I'm not careful (which I now am).
"They don’t care that my favorite cure for a dull scene is to have someone shoot someone else "
ReplyDeletethis right here makes me think that we might like each others' work...
I don't always use a gun... sometimes I crash cars, blow up space ships, wreck piers or blow up whole stars. I have a serious case of GoBoomItis.
Delete