Coming Soon
In about two weeks, it will be my thousandth post.
Holy crap.
I mean . . . when I started . . . I really had no idea if I had anything to say. Let alone being able to sustain a blog mostly about writing for . . . well, a thousand posts.
Over time, I split off some of my parenting material into its own blog. I still had stuff to say.
So now I realize, as if I didn't before . . . that writers are just hardwired to communicate. To process the world as writers.
At lunch today, Oldest Daughter asked, "Why didn't you ever marry or fall in love with a writer?"
"Two writers living together would kill each other. Two people hardwired the same way. Two people who live in their heads."
"Margaret Atwood's life partner is a writer."
"And I bet it bothers him that no matter what he does, he will never, ever be as good a writer as Margaret Atwood."
"I thought the same thing. But I always hang out with musicians."
Our friend asked, "So could you be married to another violinist?"
"No," she said. "But maybe a cellist or a violist or other string instrument."
Nearly a thousand posts. Still trying to make my journey as a writer. Still assuming the journey is just a thousand more layers. Neverending. Still thinking, when I sometimes contemplate quitting the whole writing game . . . that it's impossible.
Hardwired.
Thoughts?
30 comments:
Um yeah. I married a reader. I have friends who are writers. Oddly enough, my closest friends are neither. I think you're right. Can't be friends with someone who also lives most of her life in her head - or in the head of another writer.
Got the book! Thanks!
And found Freudian Slip at the chain store last night. How awesome is that? Last chain store I was in said all the other branches had it but not the one I was standing in.
So I'm E-set for a little while.
Hi Sarah:
VERY cool! :-)
And I have close friends in real life who are writers. But I don't think I could LIVE with a writer. Unless we were in totally opposite areas--like plays versus novels. And even then. Don't know. I am always fascinated by couples who write screenplays and novels TOGETHER. I don't think I could do that.
E
I'm always surprised when two novelists live together. Can you imagine Jonathan and Faye Kellerman? And one of their sons is a successful thriller novelist, too.
Mark:
I know. I can't imagine!!! I think having PARENTS who do what you aspire to do is also very hard. I know it's hard enough when people have expectations of my own work set against my own work. Let alone if they were also comparing my stuff to my parents'.
E
Geez, I agree with you so wholeheartedly I was nodding as I read the post. I think writers are hard-wired to communicate -- through their writing and through their actions and spoken words as well. Thing is, communicating when not writing can be harder for writers - it is for me. I can't imagine having a husband or partner who was a writer - unless he wrote something completely different from me. If it ever happens, I'll let you know.
I have realized through the journey of my current blog that i miss the days of writing about my family life - even though it's sometimes integrated into the blog. So I'm spinning off soon as well, as a place I know that I can put down all those thoughts and funny stories - I do publish many of those - but there are some just aching to be blogged.
Again - hardwired.
I know I'll never shut up. And I'm so glad you won't either. Thanks for one thousand workshops - I only wish I could get college credit for them.
:)
P.S. My husband isn't a reader or writer - he's a left brain thinker. Yet, a fabulous listener and my biggest fan.
I'm very lucky indeed.
Amy:
I adore my parenting blog. One of my regulars there says it is a love letter to my children. I like that idea.
E
Kath:
That is so awesome.
E
Ugh, I lived with a composer for a while, and I couldn't stand how he lived in his head all the time. (It's perfectly okay when I'm doing it, LOL!) I would've married a pianist, no problem. Almost did, with one. I think we both secretly thought we were better than the other. Another I would've married in a heartbeat. He's that one you always regret, LOL. Still think of him, now and then. I do wish I'd married a musician, to be honest. One with a gig like the Cleveland Orchestra and health insurance would've been preferable. :-)
But yeah, no way a writer. Part of me is still hard-wired to be a performer, and I'm embarrassed to admit that I have a weekly quota of time where I must be the center of my hubby's attention. It's pitiful.
I don't know, I think that I could be with another writer. But they'd have to be interested in writing like, adult horror/splatterpunk, thriller, or something like that. Very different from myself, yet still able to understand where I'm coming from.
But right now I'm dancing around an aspiring surgen who seems to understand where I'm coming from with excellent clarity. Go figure.
Yeah, I think my hardwiring is a little screwy in the right ways. Seeing as how I tend to communicate with household objects such as say, toasters, more than I do human beings. I swear, if that Easybake Oven hadn't been there for me in my darkest hour...
-J.T.
spy:
LOL on your quota.
I never dated a writer, though my best friend all through college is a writer and a guy--but he went into journalism. Oldest thinks I should have married him. But here we are all these years later and still can talk to each other on the phone at 1:00 a.m., and if we have ever gotten together, I am sure we would have ruined that.
E
JT:
Beware of surgeons! (Just kidding . . .).
And I agree--if it was a totally different area, maybe.
E
I really like the comment that writers are hard wired to process the world as writers. That describes my life exactly. I've always done by best thinking and working out in writing.
I have to ask...what shall we bring to your 1000th post party?
:-)
A thousand posts and we still come back wanting more.
My husband's an engineer and so my opposite. I think we balance each other out.
I've had several people tell me that they're impressed I blog every day (except Sundays). I don't know if it's because they don't have the time, or can't think of things to say, but I ALWAYS have something to talk about. Whether or not it's something other people want to read about... well that's another story.
My husband is the total opposite of me in terms of reading and writing. Sometimes it makes me sad that we can't talk about these things, but he brings a lot of other things to the table.
My husband is a fair writer (business type stuff) and nary a reader.
1000 posts. What a milestone, eh? :)
I just started blogging last fall. I wasn't sure what I would say or if anybody would read it. But I've gained a few followers and it's been a fun journey. Now I find myself thinking as I go through my day, Oh, I should blog about this!
Congratulations on 1,000 posts! That's awesome!
Jonathan and Faye Kellerman. Steve and Tabitha King. Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini...
I'm sure there are many more. I don't see the problem with it. I think I could fall for a novelist. At least we'd always have something to talk about.
Chris: maybe we can ride to the party together. I understand she's partial to Grey Goose. ;)
That means you have a lot of useful things to say.
Joe:
It's definitely a way of going through life, processing things through a special filter, I guess.
E
Chris:
I am still pondering. I think tiaras are definitely in order.
E
Aimless:
My Oldest Son is a math type--he is a mellow opposite to me, and very easy to hang out with.
E
Melanie:
LOL! That is exactly how I feel. Sometimes it's just a word vomit, but . . . .
E
sex scenes:
I wish I had more readers in my life, but Oldest is now a VORACIOUS reader so we talk about books now. It doesn't hurt that she is a huge Margaret Atwood fan now. :-)
E
Hi Sherrie:
Thanks! I love my crew of regulars . . . though I still am surprised at how many lurkers I get, too.
E
Jude:
I think competiveness would play a role--how successful one is versus another.
E
LA:
OR . . . it means I blather. ;-)
E
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