My top 5 favorite reactions to people learning I’m a writer #FridayFun #AmWriting
If you’ve ever read my blog, then you know I’m hesitant to tell people I’m a writer. (There are a ton of reasons – read about them here.) Eventually I stop hemming and hawing and tell people I’m a writer. The responses vary from baffling to outrageous to just plain funny. Here are my top five in descending order:
Uninterested. This is by far my least favorite reaction – people who just walk away or change the subject once they learn you’re self-published. Do they not realize by self-published I do it all? I’m responsible for every single aspect of writing, publishing, and marketing. Yeah, totally not impressive or anything.
Dismissive. I want to write a book too. This one makes me want to tear my hair out and scream. Like it’s so easy to write a book? Nothing to it, I just haven’t had time to get around to it. Grrrrr….
Confused. Like a published author? I seriously don’t know what the deal is with this, but I’m thinking it’s a Dutch thing because this is the most popular response Dutch people have to my saying I’m a writer. They are shocked (not awed) that I publish books.
Curious. Do you write sex? For some reason, everyone is convinced that we indie writers only write about sex. And not just sex but 50 Shades kind of sex. Seriously? I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I’m all excited that I managed to talk about a man’s … erm … excitement in my latest book.
Awestruck. Are you famous? Okay, I’ll be honest. This actually only happened to me once. It was THE BEST. Of course, I’m not famous but the idea that someone thought I could be – after an evening of storytelling, drinking, and laughing – made me super happy. I obviously hadn’t embarrassed myself. Go me!
The Curious reaction was really hilarious. I expected people to be looking at you with admiration filled eyes and asking questions non-stop about your work.
That’s my fantasy. Unfortunately, not my reality. Well, except for the one woman at the New Year’s Eve party who thought I was famous. I do wonder if she had imbibed a bit too much.
I’m asked if they can find my books on Amazon. I don’t know what those people think being a published author means if it doesn’t include being available on Amazon. The other question I get is do I write under my own name. I like to think that’s because they’re expecting to have heard of whatever pen name I’m going to tell them I write under, because they haven’t heard of me. Quite how I could come up with a better name than my own for an author of romance novels I don’t know.
I get asked for a pen name all the time but I assume that’s a roundabout way of asking my last name 😉
Ah, I hadn’t thought of that.
My most common reaction is fear–”Oh, no, she’s going to ask me to buy her book!”
Oh yeah. I can totally see that. I’m done asking people to buy my books in person. Awkward!
ROFL!! Why is the 50 Shades question always asked? There was sex in books long before 50 Shades – and better sex too! LOL! Sheesh!
Trust me – I know 😊