Authors Anonymous discussion

I had a writing professor tell me once that, after teaching for twenty years at the university, the one thing he noticed that all aspiring writers had in common was that they were all 'cranky'? Would you agree with him? If so, why do you think his observation was accurate about author temperament?

If we weren't cranky we'd have no impetus to write. It's damn hard work to express the truth as it is or as it ought to be. Pisses me off just thinking about it. Excuse me while I go back to my WIP...

Linda wrote: "If we weren't cranky we'd have no impetus to write. It's damn hard work to express the truth as it is or as it ought to be. Pisses me off just thinking about it. Excuse me while I go back to my ..."

LOL. I never looked at it that way but you're probably right. I just always assumed it meant that most writers have so much to say and it's a slow, frustrating process to get it down just right. Probably, not to long in the future, there will be a device that we can plug into the base of our skull and just download a book onto a computer.

Conrad, That's hilarious. (plug into the base of the brain) I wonder if that would satisfy the muse. Hmm, mine is pretty feisty and likes to run the show. There's story there somewhere, you know.

Conrad, I agree. Writing is a lot of work. Why do it if you're happy?

Wish the brain plug would come sooner than later.

Robert wrote: "Conrad, I agree. Writing is a lot of work. Why do it if you're happy?"

Hence the inspiration for the name of this group.

Who says writers are cranky? People who can't write anything of substance?

Ian wrote: "Who says writers are cranky? People who can't write anything of substance?"

You may have a point. Dr. Lehmberg only wrote one book in his life that I know of which was required of him in order to get his PhD. He was, however, an excellent teacher and scholar and now he's a Zen Buddhist priest so it may be that's he's revised his position after doing some serious soul searching. As for me, I'm completely level headed and non-emotional, almost Vulcan-like, as is reflected in the voice of my prose.

Conrad wrote: "Ian wrote: "Who says writers are cranky? People who can't write anything of substance?"

You may have a point. Dr. Lehmberg only wrote one book in his life that I know of which was required of him ..."

Ha! I knew it. Big Ears!

Ian wrote: "Conrad wrote: "Ian wrote: "Who says writers are cranky? People who can't write anything of substance?"

You may have a point. Dr. Lehmberg only wrote one book in his life that I know of which was r..."

Pink skin!

The one thing we all have in common... we all "hear" voices. Well, at least I do. When I get the urge to write, it's because "someone" is speaking to me and telling me that a certain story needs to be told. I head to my computer and the voices get louder. Happens more with screenplays because dialogue is an essential part of the process. Those voices can be quite insistent.

Aww Donna. I know what you mean but you got into the middle of a perfectly fun, schoolboy name calling tussle between Ian and I.

Conrad wrote: "Aww Donna. I know what you mean but you got into the middle of a perfectly fun, schoolboy name calling tussle between Ian and I."
okay... I'm out. You boys go back to rolling in the dirt.

Donna wrote: "Conrad wrote: "Aww Donna. I know what you mean but you got into the middle of a perfectly fun, schoolboy name calling tussle between Ian and I."
okay... I'm out. You boys go back to rolling in the..."

Never mind, Donna. I think Ian's mother called him inside for the night. Yes, I agree about the voices. We, as writers, feel we have a pressing need to say something, whether it be just to entertain or to inform, and if we have the basic skills to do it, then it's certainly a compelling force.

Back to the topic, after being reminded of the dangers of sunburn in our remarkably prolonged summer, I think the one thing most writers have in common is an imagination. I won't go as far as "hearing voices" but yes, one imagines something, and cannot resist writing about it.

Too true, Ian. For me it's more responding to what I see and hear. Everywhere I go I am inspired by what is around me. It's not just traveling - although I am lucky to be able to do that - but even in the coffee shop where I work the sounds and sites and character inspiration are unlimited. I think a novelists first job is to be an observer. IMHO

I once started a very lengthy and mediocre novel, Crying Bullets, after staring at a miniature doll collection in my girlfriend's house. It's funny sometimes what can trigger our imagination, voice or whatever you want to call it into a prolonged bout of agonizing creativity with all of its subsequent considerations.

Great comments! Good to know the voices I hear don't make me a crazy person just a writer and that others listen to private conversations or hang out in public places to get inspiration and its not considered stalking but work.

For awhile, Donna, I thought I was the only one who heard voices :-) Then I met another extraordinary author who said driving to a college reunion his characters were fighting in his head. It was affirmation, that what we love (storytelling) is who we are and what we do even when we aren't intentionally doing it.

Melda wrote: "For awhile, Donna, I thought I was the only one who heard voices :-) Then I met another extraordinary author who said driving to a college reunion his characters were fighting in his head. It was a..." I'm very grateful for those voices, Melda. They bring my characters to life and make writing dialogue for my screenplays easy. I'm sure you realize as I do that "shushing" them isn't an option.

I used to have a roommate while in the Coast Guard. He was a very talented musician. One night I woke up and heard him arguing with himself in his room. I checked to see if he was okay. He told me that he was just voicing out a dialogue between an imaginary boxer and his trainer and doing so helped him to flesh out ideas for songs. He apologized for getting so loud and waking me up. Other than that, the guy was very 'normal'.

Happy Easter all whether you spend it sleeping in, hunting for eggs or wearing your Easter hat to church. Hope your day and the rest of the year is filled with blessings and peeps.

Thanks Rebecca. That reminds me that I'm out of eggs and need to go to the store but same to you and your family.

A story to tell, and a huge imagination!

Happy Easter Everyone, may it be a blessed one!

Martha wrote: "A story to tell, and a huge imagination!

Happy Easter Everyone, may it be a blessed one!"

Well said, Martha, and same to you!

THank you Martha and everyone for good Easter wishes. Conrad, hope you got those eggs and the snow is almost gone.

Rebecca wrote: "THank you Martha and everyone for good Easter wishes. Conrad, hope you got those eggs and the snow is almost gone."

Got the eggs but more snow is on the way. Oy vey! Watching this, however, made me feel better. Please share:

http://youtu.be/PXkp4vmJth8

That was way too cute.

Thank you all so much!

for me perhaps I am a bit diff , I don't get cranky. I do play the entire story in my head over and over again like a broken record until I have no choice but to spit it out on paper to get rid of it

James wrote: "for me perhaps I am a bit diff , I don't get cranky. I do play the entire story in my head over and over again like a broken record until I have no choice but to spit it out on paper to get rid of it"

I agree, James. Writing is a form of mental purging. I never thought of myself as a rhetorical bolemic, but I guess that's what I am. I fill my head with observations, stories, films, etc. and then...well...out! out! Damned storyline!

then comes the bad part -----damn I have to edit it LOL

Diane wrote: "I hear voices too... (I know that was the conversation ages ago but I am excited not to be the only one!)

I also don't need much sleep when I am writing. Not sure if all writers have that in commo..."

Absolutely, Diane. That's why I'm online now at 4am EST.

James wrote: "then comes the bad part -----damn I have to edit it LOL" Writing is really just re-writing... over and over and over again. I carry a tape recorder with me everywhere and record who/what I see, hear, smell... anything that might add interest to a story. Then, back to the computer and more editing!

Diane wrote: "I hear voices too... (I know that was the conversation ages ago but I am excited not to be the only one!)

I also don't need much sleep when I am writing. Not sure if all writers have that in commo..." Those voices often keep me awake as well. I find the quiet hours of the night/morning to be most productive since no one is around to intrude upon my thoughts. Right now, I'm back to rewriting a script I started almost a year ago. I lost my way for awhile and now I'm back on course.

Donna wrote: "Diane wrote: "I hear voices too... (I know that was the conversation ages ago but I am excited not to be the only one!)

I also don't need much sleep when I am writing. Not sure if all writers have..."

Good for you, Donna. I know that if I don't finish what I start, I never will. I have a folder filled with things that I started that I'll probably never get back to. 2/3 of the way done on my current sci fi novel., but that doesn't include proofing. meh

I have a muse who thinks she's always the boss, and when I don't listen she gets stubborn. She wakes me in the night and gets my characters to bug the heck out of me, telling me how they want their story to go, or calling me back if I'm away too long. (I complain, but love when she does this.) Does anyone else have a muse that wants to run the show? I call mine sexy innocence because of her split personality.

I channel the creative spirit world through my dog. I thought I married a Muse but I was wrong.

I'm just cranky when I'm tired and since I work 7 days a week I'm always tired ergo I'm always cranky. Luckily, I have a lovely calm husband and kids who think this is funny.

To read the suggestion that all writers are cranky encourages me - legitimizes my crankiness or my writing, depending on the way you look at it. Thanks for giving me a feeling of community and a sense of belonging!

Sarah wrote: "To read the suggestion that all writers are cranky encourages me - legitimizes my crankiness or my writing, depending on the way you look at it. Thanks for giving me a feeling of community and a se..."

You're quite welcome, Sarah.

Hello community. Conrad I hope this is appropriate. If not you can slap my novelist fingers! Anyway, got a contact from a large site about another matter but they are running a contest. Prize is an agent read and other stuff. Sorry, I didn't really go over it closely but I figured I'd pass along the link :) http://bookcontest2013.luckycinda.com

Rebecca wrote: "Hello community. Conrad I hope this is appropriate. If not you can slap my novelist fingers! Anyway, got a contact from a large site about another matter but they are running a contest. Prize is an..."

Thanks for sharing!

Whew, I was worried I'd be disciplined :). I have a question. Has anyone ever done a book bundle and designed one of those things that look like a little library? Or do you know where to find instructions how to do it?

Rebecca wrote: "Whew, I was worried I'd be disciplined :). I have a question. Has anyone ever done a book bundle and designed one of those things that look like a little library? Or do you know where to find inst..."

Ask Mar Preston (friends of Elaine Ash). I think she knows. Just Google her name.

Oh, met Mar at a party at Xmas. She's using my editor. Thanks. I knew you'd have the answer.