July 1, 2008 • Print This Post
I was at a party the other night and, as usual, eavesdropping on other people’s conversations. Not polite, I know, but ultimately a good habit to develop if you’re a writer. A great opportunity to pick up on speech patterns (useful for dialogue) and bits of gossip (fun for later — nothing to do with writing). I noticed that people don’t really ask each other a lot of questions but mostly talk, monologue style, about whatever.
Nobody asks the surgeon what it feels like when she first slices into the flesh of a patient. Or the electrician about the worst thing that could happen if you tried to wire your house yourself. But when it comes to writers, everybody has questions. When do you write? How do you write? Where do you get your ideas? The sad truth, in my case anyway, is that I’m nowhere close to as exciting as the characters I write about, never mind the surgeon or the electrician.
So why are people so interested in the writing process — and in writers’ personal selves?
Posted by Charlotte Mede @ 8:18 am • Filed under: Charlotte Mede
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Hmm… good question, Charlotte… maybe partly because writing is somewhat accessible to everyone–it’s something that everyone can do, whether or not they have any talent or skill at it. No one in their right mind would consider undertaking surgery (or rewiring a house, for that matter) without all sorts of special training, but if you’ve gone through any schooling, you’ve probably had to write at least one paper, even if it was utter drivel. So maybe people are curious to see what’s so special about what writers do, and whether writers have actually lived all those things they write about…
Anyway, just speculating! At least they’re not coming up to you to hit you up for free legal or medical advice, right?
I think you’re onto something, Fedora. Unlike mastering medical school or the mysteries of electricity, just about every other person feels she has a novel or a poem somewhere inside just waiting to get out. And on that note, writers actually do get hit up for advice — on how to get published!
Hm, very interesting post - and I agree with Fedora. My first thought was more of a psychological nature. If a book really gets to a person - they want to know what inspired it - how the author thought of the topic - etc. And then… like Fedora- they might want to know so they can emulated it
And we’re all just nosy - which is why the paparazzi thrive. Meh.
I agree with what has been said, very true. When I read the question this came to mind… maybe they find writers easier to approach because it’s a business where you ‘put yourself out there’ for the most part. Even if it’s not you personally, it’s your creativity, your voice, characters, etc maybe people feel like that makes you easier to approach?
Besides like it was said everyone writes something and I bet writers aren’t the only ones who have running scenes in their heads while doing mundane housework or who walk around wondering what if?
I think because being a surgeon or wiring a house are very specific laid out actions. It can be explained in specific steps you don’t deviate from. But writing is like a kind of magic. And everybody wants to know how magic works.
About listening to people’s conversations…when I was a kid I at first thought I wanted to be a spy or a private investigator…I think I just wanted to be a writer…cause we do some of that covert stuff too.
I agree with what has been said.
I know I am curious about any author I have read.
Zoe — that’s interesting you mention wanting to be a spy or a private investigator as a child. Me too as a kid — and I never thought of the connection to writing until you pointed it out. I guess it’s about getting into other lives and other places which the aforementioned professions (along with writing) allow you to do.
hehe Charlotte, plus there is probably a smaller chance of getting shot this way.
Never thought about that — although unhappy critics and readers can probably do the job without bullets!
And yeah, Limecello, in the end people are probably just nosy…
I agree with what the other posters have said. I also think because books can evoke such emotion, that we are curious about the person who wrote it, and want to find out how they are able to do what they do. And a lot of readers want to write, so we are insatiably curious ourselves about the prcess. And writers actually do interesting things in the name of research, so that’s pretty cool, too.