3 Things a Writer Would Love to Hear

Well, that's about right.  I extracted the poison, wrote a ton, fixed things, made it brilliant, then hit the next spot and that voice in my head said "You know everything you're adding is banal garbage, right?  Also, what are you going to do with that last 100 pages?  Turn it into a second book?  HA!  Can't be done."

Thanks brain.

So I bring you another list.

Yesterday, I detailed 5 things I wish people would stop asking me.  It made me realize that there are other things I would love to hear when I tell people I write.

3 Things a Writer Would Love To Hear

1. I love to read!  Who are your favorite authors?

If you ask a budding, aspiring, or literally any writer this question and they cannot answer it at all, then I give you my permission to think of them as a jackass for using valuable publisher and agent resources for their own selfish and lame gains.  I have no respect for a writer who doesn't read!

That said, a hem and haw is okay because it's hard to choose just one!  Let's discuss me for a moment.  I love Chuck Palahniuk, Haruki Murakami, Bret Easton Ellis, Patricia Highsmith, Sara Waters, Oscar Wilde... and more and more and more!  Have you read any of them?  Let's discuss!

Meanwhile, it's fantastic that you read Stephanie Meyer.  I kinda don't care because I haven't.  Yeah, she might be successful, but you can't make that matter to me.


2. Who/what inspires you?

I'm inspired by the music I listen to (like my reading, it runs around the world and back again), news articles, and sometimes by a perfect picture.  (Sometime I see "The Lady of Shallot" by Waterhouse in my head when my character is conflicted and forlorn).  As well as the novels I read and other authors - though I'm not much of an author groupie.  I'm on my own journey and their journey matters very little to my own unless it involves advice on how to get there.

There are many ways in which an author can be inspired, but if they are any good at all, they are likely excited to talk about their favorite writers or artists.

I can't speak for other writers, but for myself, I also read differently.  When I read, I read from a writer's perspective.  I've discussed this endlessly with my husband, a prolific reader who has little to no interest in being a writer, and others and have come to realize that I look at a book differently.  So when I grumble at Stephen King, it's not jealousy.  It's disinterest in his story telling style.  When I say I haven't read Harry Potter, it's because it's not my thing, not because I'm judging its success.



3.  I bet you're really good!

Lie to me, please.  I know you know nothing about my writing, but if you can just remind me that I'm smart and interesting, it helps me write more!