BY KRISTEN LAMB
Last week, we talked about why being a writer is the greatest job in the world. But how can you tell if you’re a “real” writer? Great question and my parole officer approved this blog.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You’ve learned that regular people are cute, and no longer get offended with this conversation.
Regular Person: What do you do?
Writer: I’m a writer.
Regular Person: No, I mean, what’s your real job?
You’ve come to understand that writers are a lot like leprechauns. Everyone knows about them, they’ve simply never seen a REAL ONE.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
The NSA, CIA and FBI no longer bother with you. Likely, they know you by name and now outsource to the creepy ice cream truck to just make a few passes and check to make sure you’re still at your computer.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
When it comes to revisions, you actually contemplate hanging one of those cheap pine tree air fresheners around your neck because bathing or showering or eating or changing clothes will interrupt your mojo.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You’re on such a roll with the WIP that you’ve forgotten a “real” world exists (including laundry). You’re down to wearing your husband’s socks and he’s either going commando or is forced to wear that thong given to him on his 40th birthday as a joke gift. The kids? Hell, they went feral a week ago.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You take a break from writing to go to the store and, on the way, begin untangling a plot problem. You finally realize you’re in the next state and have no idea how you got there. But good news is, you now know which poison is best to kill off the character modeled after that cheerleader who bullied you through high school. It’s the poison that will make her fat and wrinkly before she dies slowly from terminal acne.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You appreciate that if Febreeze is good enough for the couch, why not hose the preschooler? Hey, you spent extra for the anti-microbial one. It kills germs *rolls eyes*. Now your tot smells like a Hawaiian Breeze and his cooties can’t hurt others. You should get a freaking MEDAL for this kind of creativity.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You’ve been diagnosed with Tourette’s, Multiple-Personality Disorder or both. It’s tough to explain you were simply working out dialogue when strapped to a gurney. But the upside is when they sedate you, it’s the only vacation you’ve had in months and insurance might even cover it. SCORE!
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You’re no longer invited to family events because they can’t take the incessant correction of their grammar.
Chickens are done, people are FINISHED.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You’re automatically safe from any episode of Hoarders because when you get enough books? Others naturally assume you’re a LIBRARY. Hey, maybe you can apply for government funding. Scratch that. Then, you’d have to let people borrow your books.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You willingly suffer frostbite hiding in a grocery freezer eavesdropping a couple’s fight, because dialogue that epic is worth a losing pinkie toe. Your coffee table’s already tried to assassinate it 342 times anyway.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You’ve been mistaken for Gollum multiple times, because strangers found you in a dark corner whispering “My precious….” and it was just you and your Kindle.
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You plow over the entire Kardashian family, because OMG there’s DEAN KOONTZ!
You Know You’re a Writer When…
Your idea of fun is reading the , talking to your friends at the Coroner’s office or reading/writing Amazon reviews of the or the
You Know You’re a Writer When…
Speaking of the Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer, you actually bought one, not only to support the greatest comedic writing in human history, but also to screw with the TSA. Can you get it through airport security without a full-body search? Hide it near your shoulders and FREE NECK MASSAGE!
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You’ve made it onto the Mormon and Jehova’s Witness DO NOT CALL LIST because you will only promise to convert with purchase of YOUR BOOKS (and favorable 5-star reviews).
You Know You’re a Writer When…
You watch the reality show Oddities and recognize your friends and a few members of your critique group. ”Hey, are they buying that used straight-jacket and shrunken head for me? Awww, how thoughtful…”
You Know You’re a Writer When…
Every time some overblown Third World dictator threatens to destabilize the world, all you can think is, “Pfft. Amateur.”
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Kristen is the author of the new best-selling book, in addition to the #1 best-selling books We Are Not Alone—The Writer’s Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer. She’s a contributing humor blogger for SocialIn, a blog that reaches 2.5 million and blogs for The Huffington Post. You can also follow her author blog here.She is also the Social Media Columnist for Author Magazine. Feel free to follow her on Twitter at and on
We Are Not Alone!
