How to Live with a Writer
By the East Sierra Branch
Members of the Ridgecrest-based East Sierra Branch of the California Writers Club (calwriters.org) combined their experiences (and grievances) to suggest this list in support of domestic harmony and creative excellence.
Don’t assume that because I am just sitting still and not typing, I am waiting to talk to you. – Elizabeth Babcock
Don’t assume that I will immediately write a book based on some idea you have had. (By the way, this happens to me often wherever I go in Ridgecrest – the grocery store, the movies, you name it. – Elizabeth Babcock
Give me some credit for being trained in writing and don’t assume that writing is much easier for me than it is for you. – Elizabeth Babcock
If I don’t answer your phone call, I may just be neck deep in solving a plotting issue, not ignoring you. – Janis Kunz
Don’t keep asking me if my story is finished yet. If it was, you’ll know. I’ll be talking about it animatedly and nonstop. – Janis Kunz
When you see me working, don’t walk up to me and start talking right away. Give me a minute or two to see you and write down my thoughts before I lose them. – Donna McCrohan Rosenthal
Don’t lean over my shoulder watching the words as they appear on the screen, and never, never ever say, “Oh! Change this” or ”ooh, you made a typo.” – Donna McCrohan Rosenthal
If I hand you something on paper, don’ pull out a pen and mark it up and never, never, never proclaim. “Here, I’ve corrected it for you.” Nobody asked you to play teacher grading homework. – Donna McCrohan Rosenthal
No, that character isn’t based on you. No, neither is that one. My lawyers have advised me not to tell you which one is. – Daniel Stallings
It doesn’t encourage me to tell me that my writing has to meet certain qualifications for you to want to read it. – Daniel Stallings
My work is work. Just because you can’t see the reams of writing I have produced on my laptop doesn’t mean I have done nothing all day. – Daniel Stallings
I am like a houseplant. I need light, water, air, and food and am pretty self-sufficient. Don’t yank me out of my comfortable writer place. – Daniel Stallings
I barely have all the time I need to write my ideas down. I don’t need to write your ideas down too. – Daniel Stallings
Sure, I can write about you one day, but you’re probably not going to like what I have to say. – Daniel Stallings
Don’t interrupt my reading. It’s part of my work, because I’m learning and absorbing the music of good writing. – Daniel Stallings