What normal people see as eccentricity is really dedication and passion.
Basically the job of a writer is to have conversations with ourselves, so it shouldn't seem crazy when I'm always talking to myself. Besides, unless I read my writing aloud how can I make sure it flows well and sounds right?
Don’t look at our Google history, just don’t. It will be filled with the strangest searches you could never even imagine. I’m not even a murder mystery writer and mine are fairly frightening. It would be easy to frame a writer for something. Especially, if it looked like I was casing a place, because I probably was, but I didn't really want to break it, honest. I just wanted to write a break in.
How many of us haven’t done something a little strange in the name of research? When I was twelve I wrote about an alien species who ate flowers, so I tried a flower petal. Unfortunately, I chose an iris, yuck. Not to mention a little poisonous. Now I read a bit before eating strange things, but not much else has changed. I go around with a fake sword in my hand trying to choreograph a battle scene. Sometimes I enlist the help of my friends or family. "Here, you stand here, you pretend to punch her." Earlier this week I was making faces in the mirror to help me better describe emotions. (I found a photo from that old show Lie To Me and that actually helped quite a bit.)
The ideas never stop, ever. So, that glazed over look I have in my eyes? I’m not ignoring you on purpose, I just had an idea, or got distracted by something, it happens. My job is to daydream, you can’t blame me for doing it at the wrong moment. I can’t control where and when I’ll get an idea. I often find I’m staring into space instead of doing what I am supposed to do, like driving, which is why I don’t drive much.
I never know when inspiration may strike, so I always carry a notepad and pencil with me. I must look a bit odd scribbling away in the grocery store. I hate it when I’m all snuggled in bed when I have a really good idea, and have to get up, and turn my on computer again, so I don’t lose it. The worst thing could happen to me and I’ll be happy. This is great material for my novel.
Yes, I’m staring at you, no I’m not checking you out. I’m imagining you as a character. I am always fascinated to hear people’s stories, everyone has one. I like looking at people and making up their stories. I generally never talk to these people, on the strange occasion I do, like when they are checking me out (not as in romantically interested, as in a cashier) I sometimes even find I was accurate in my assessment of them.
So, after reading this post I've probably convinced you that writers are in fact crazy. (At least this one) Okay, maybe a little bit, but there’s nothing wrong with that. If we were normal and boring, no one would want to read what we write.
What are some of the unusual things you've done in the name of writing?
Hehe. I think it's awesome that you ate flower petals for research when you were a kid. That's much better than eating dog food or play-doh because your big brother convinced you they tasted good...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the only strange things I do is stare off into space, miss conversations because my mind was wandering, and maybe sometimes amble through the apartment, lost in thought. I'm pretty low key. I'm saving the big-time eccentricities for when I'm old. Need to give the neighborhood kids something to talk about, and it's a goal of mine to shake my futuristic cane at someone.
I don't know why I fought it for so long, I was always meant to be a writer.
ReplyDeleteI'm known for my staring into space, and running into things, because my mind was somewhere else.
haha! (shaking your cane) I'll probably be the little old lady trying to give kids cookies.