#1. WE STARE ABSENTMINDEDLY AT PEOPLE IN CROWDED PLACES
We don't mean to be rude. We probably don't even realize we're staring at you. I can't count the number of times I've sat at a table and just let my eyes glaze over as I get lost in thought, trying to create the perfect sentence in my head.
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| Don't take it personally |
#2. WE MUMBLE TO OURSELVES
This is often paired with staring into space or at the computer screen. You'll see our lips moving, and if you're close enough, you'll hear some awkward murmuring. When I do this, I'm usually trying to sound out a word or playing word association with myself to think of synonyms.
#3. WE GET EXCITED WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS IN REAL LIFE THAT HAPPENS IN OUR BOOK
We also get this look of amazement. When things happen in real life that happen in our books, it blows our minds. Take me, for example. One time I was sitting in a coffee shop, drinking my coffee and eating a croissant. I looked out the window and watched a little bird hop around pecking things off the ground before flying away.
Perfectly normal...except that I describe this exact same situation in Embassy, when Arman and Captain Blitner are eating breakfast in a cafe on Belvun. Coffee, croissants, and watching a little bird out the window. It blew my mind.
#4. WE HAVE ANXIETY ATTACKS WHEN PEOPLE ASK US TO EXPLAIN OUR BOOK
We stutter. We look away. We repeat the same thing four times, and feel the need to explain it because we're afraid you don't understand what we mean. Then we get nervous because we think we're making our book sound like a yawn-fest, so we wrap it up way too fast, usually with, "And...yeah. I--it's hard to explain."
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| How we feel. |
#5. WE DON'T WANT TO BE DISTRACTED...BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BE RUDE
We try to hide. It's the truth. When we're in the zone, we hate it when you distract us. Then we'll sit there and have a forced conversation with you for the next hour, all the while feeling worse and worse because we aren't getting any work done. There comes a point when we start looking for excuses to get back to writing....but we don't want to be rude. It's a Catch 22.
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| "Crap..." |
Do you have anything to add to this list? Leave a comment!
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We make random references to our books that no one else understands.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad when that happens...it's like being part of a fandom that doesn't exist yet XD
DeleteOh my goodness. A fandom that doesn't exist yet. That kind of broke my heart. We are so pitiful.
DeleteLol. XD I agree with Goya M. I make references to my books with my friends all the time. I guess another awkward thing we do is our web searches lol.
ReplyDeleteStori Tori's Blog
After more than 30 years of writing, and about 18 books, I must admit to very rarely or never doing these things - so I must be a milliner, or a baker, or a quantity surveyor. Why wasn't I told about this?
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm....maybe it's a plague for the newer-generation writers...you know, those of us growing up on internet cat videos xD oh boy...
DeleteStaring at someone --on purpose -- and trying to discreetly stalk them because they look like a character of yours.
ReplyDeleteEavesdropping on strangers' conversations - on purpose, then making notes right in front of them...
ReplyDeleteOh wow! I totally do all of these especially the talking to myself and the losing it when people ask me what my book's about.
ReplyDeleteAlexa Skrywer
alexaskrywer.blogspot.com
Number four is my number one issue. I'm prepping for a signing this weekend and trying to perfect that elevator sales pitch. After a week of practice, I think I might sound halfway coherent. I always wish we could just write down our book summaries - everything comes out better when written.
ReplyDelete