Twelve things we LIKE about this crappy business.
My friend Joe Konrath sounds a little down over at his blog today, talking about the twelve things writers won't admit. (For the record, he's absolutely right about most of them). But Jude Hardin sez he got depressed reading it and wants to hear some things writers LIKE about the business.
My coauthor sister Kelly is sitting across the room this morning, banging out chapter 35, so I asked her. Here is what we came up with:
1. You can drink on the job and no one makes you pee in a bottle.
2. You can write off trips to New York.
3. You don't have to wear a bra at work.
4. You get to kill people you hate and not go to prison.
5. You can have mindblowing sex with whoever you want and not worry about rubbers, disease or your spouse leaving you.
6. You get to read fan letters (we love and answer every one we get and save them forever like old love letters. Honest.)
7. You get to be in the Library of Congress. (In 1983, I went there and asked for the librarian to bring me a copy of my paperback romance. She did. Quite humbling.)
8. You get to walk into a tiny bookstore in Moose-Butt Maine and see your book on the shelf. And then find out the old lady behind the counter has read your entire oeuvre and remembers each character better than you do.
9. You get to live inside your head for day, weeks, months, at a time and not get carted away.
10. You get to find a note taped to your bathroom mirror from your spouse or kid saying, "I'm proud of you."
11. You get to do something that gives others pleasure.
12. You get to do something that gives you joy.
Now I have to go write because we are up against a nasty deadline and Kelly is giving me dirty looks. Deadlines are one of the things I DON'T like about this crappy business. But no complaining. I am a lucky dog. And I know it.
My coauthor sister Kelly is sitting across the room this morning, banging out chapter 35, so I asked her. Here is what we came up with:
1. You can drink on the job and no one makes you pee in a bottle.
2. You can write off trips to New York.
3. You don't have to wear a bra at work.
4. You get to kill people you hate and not go to prison.
5. You can have mindblowing sex with whoever you want and not worry about rubbers, disease or your spouse leaving you.
6. You get to read fan letters (we love and answer every one we get and save them forever like old love letters. Honest.)
7. You get to be in the Library of Congress. (In 1983, I went there and asked for the librarian to bring me a copy of my paperback romance. She did. Quite humbling.)
8. You get to walk into a tiny bookstore in Moose-Butt Maine and see your book on the shelf. And then find out the old lady behind the counter has read your entire oeuvre and remembers each character better than you do.
9. You get to live inside your head for day, weeks, months, at a time and not get carted away.
10. You get to find a note taped to your bathroom mirror from your spouse or kid saying, "I'm proud of you."
11. You get to do something that gives others pleasure.
12. You get to do something that gives you joy.
Now I have to go write because we are up against a nasty deadline and Kelly is giving me dirty looks. Deadlines are one of the things I DON'T like about this crappy business. But no complaining. I am a lucky dog. And I know it.
posted by PJ Parrish | 11:04 AM
5 Comments:
Mark, *you* got to kill off the Executive Branch? Darn, *I* wanted to do that!
Another great thing about this gig, if you live in Arizona, is sitting on a chaise lounge on the terrace with your laptop.
Number 1--yeah I can relate.
This is great, Kris and Kelly. Thanks! It made my day.
Don't forget the people you meet in this business. I've met a lot and most of them have been the most charming and fun people I've ever met. And then there was this duo who used to be from Michigan...
Bryon:
USED to be from Michigan?
Once a Michigander always a Michigander. Got Win Shuler cheese between my toes, dude!
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