11 Pointed Remarks to Avoid When Engaging a Scribe
Hey there! Ready to dive into some straight talk? Here are eleven things you should never say to a writer (warning: this list is gonna be a bit salty):
- "Wanna be a character in my book? Uh, nope. Remember the girl from school I named the villain after? Don't ask to be in someone's book or else you might end up as a bad guy.
- "I'm a character in your book, aren't I?" Chances are, if you're asking this question, you've probably annoyed the writer. So yeah, you probably are.
- "Can I get a free copy?" Writing's a job, just like being a doctor or a lawyer. You wouldn't ask a doctor for a free check-up, so don't hound writers for a free book.
- "What's a writer's salary?" Come on, really?
- "I've got this fantastic book idea; I think you should write it." Trust me, anyone that's ever written a book has more ideas than they know what to do with.
- "Check out my book!" Go buy the author's book, that's all.
- "Found a typo in your book." So you spotted a mistake? Thanks for reminding me!
- "What do writers actually do?" Do you need me to throw a pen at your head to show you how intense writing is?
- "Anyone could write if they only had the time." Believe me, writers don't have any more time than you do. If you're serious about writing, quit talking and go create.
- "Writing is a breeze." You have no idea how much painstaking work and sleep deprivation goes into writing.
- "Why's your book taking so long?" If the writer knew the answer, trust me, they'd have fixed it by now.
Want more tips? How about this one: don't insult a writer's work or process. Instead, acknowledge the effort and creativity that goes into creating written art. Speaking from personal experience, it can go a long way!
This cheeky little list was contributed by Annie Earnshaw. Annie's a student at Elon University, a writer, a blogger, and a self-proclaimed dog lover. She's working on a young adult thriller novel about teenage spies and can be found on Twitter at @xyrtle. Now get back to work so we writers can continue to entertain you!
**P.S.** If you hate writing blurb's, let Annie help you out. Check out her blurb-writing service! Click here to get started.
- "Perhaps you'd be interested in appointing me as a lifestyle blogger, focusing on fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, and relationships, since you seem to know my talents lie elsewhere than in the realm of writing books."
- "My next project could revolve around the fascinating world of travel or shopping, given my keen eye for detail and love for these topics. Wouldn't that be intriguing?"
- "I've been considering adopting a pet and writing a heartwarming series about the adventures of pets and their human companions. You might want to consider yourself warned regarding potential character inspiration!"
