Saturday, January 3, 2015

This Writing Thing

I have discovered there might be a perk or two to being a writer. For sure, my crossword puzzle skills have improved dramatically. I will now grope for the rest.



Perk #1 - I can enter a world I create when all around me is chaos. There's a lot to be said for that. The older I get, the more chaotic I find the world. Sometimes a trip to the grocery store can be mind-boggling. I have been Greenpeaced there several times. The polar bears are better off because of the volunteers and my contributions to their cause. Oh yes, and I did buy some ice cream.

Perk #2 - People actually think because I can write a novel, I am an intelligent person. This is not necessarily the case. I have found that I am on the fairly dumb side, especially when it comes to finding my reading glasses or the car in a parking lot. Of course, saving the bears distracted me. I wandered around the parking lot for 15-minutes pushing a shopping cart full of melting ice cream. I try to look on it as exercise.

Perk #3 - When together with a bunch of strangers at a gathering and we need to make inane, mindless conversation before the hors d'oeuvres arrive, I can throw in the bit about being a writer. This usually stops people in their tracks. but ratchets up the conversation. They think of  J.D. Salinger, Jane Austin, or Steven King. I think of the arrival of shrimp cocktail. Sometimes one or two trapped people actually like murder mysteries. This means I can give them a bookmark and hope they go to Amazon to get one of my books. Add another 1/2 perk for this.

Perk #4 - I get to do what I love. Hmm. Let's make that Perk #1.

Happy New Year to all my fellow authors and readers. We may be crazy, but we are doing what we love to do. There's a lot to be said for that.

11 comments:

Suzanne de Montigny said...

This brings to mind Lucy Maude Montgomery. Her personal life was disastrous because her husband was mentally ill. She used her writing to escape into a near perfect world.

Unknown said...

Your comment about crossword puzzles gave me a pause. Then it came to me that in my case, my ability with crossword puzzles is a definite aid to my writing.

Heather Haven said...

Thanks, Suzanne, for commenting. I find I escape into the world more and more often.

Heather Haven said...

J.J. I really have gotten better at crosswords, but only the simple ones. No New York Times crossword for me!

Bourne Morris said...

I particularly liked your comment about entering your own world, the one you created. I find I can become completely absorbed for several hours without noticing what's going on with anyone else in the house. Even the dog has learned to wait until I stop tapping on the keyboard. I do have to be careful nothing is cooking away on the stovetop.

Heather Haven said...

Bourne, I relearned that lesson just yesterday! I put some olive oil on a slow flame but the minutes ticked by and it burned. House was filled with smoke, too. I need to be careful not to cook anything when I'm writing. Thanks for dropping by!!

Moon_Pie said...

I write my row # on top of my shopping list so I can always find my vehicle in the parking lot afterward. A dull pencil is better than a sharp mind.

Heather Haven said...

Moon Pie! You clever boots, you! I'll have to try that. Honestly, I wander around row after row thinking about how pathetic I am. Thanks!

Ana Manwaring said...

Perk #2. That's me. I didn't save polar bears, but I helped women find their way from the Oakland shelter into jobs and self sufficiency. Several times. When they are squared away, I hope they donate to the "Save a Writer" cause in their market parking lots. Some of us are still hoping for self sufficiency.
Happy New Year to you too Heather.

Heather Haven said...

My dear Ana, you are one of the good gals of life. I know about what you do and you are wonderful. I like the Save a Writer' idea in our local parking lots. Thanks for ringing in!

dolorah said...

I am sure my car moves while I am in the store. Perhaps it finds a pretty car to flirt with.

Yum, ice cream would go good with my writing day. Thanks for the suggestion :)