People like to talk about other people, often in a generic way. One kind of person that seems to give endless conversational gambits to people is authors. People who write books. Novels.
Sometimes I end up in a conversation with such people and they don’t know that I’m an author. I feel somewhat odd at such times because it’s as if they are talking about me and I don’t know whether I should inform them that I’m one of the people they are talking about or if I should just shut up.
Their conversations seem to take one of two tacks. Either they are awed that anyone can write a story — or they wonder why authors pretend to work so hard when anyone could do what they do in a lot less time with a lot less effort.
If I tell them I’m an author, it’s as if I’m either asking to be congratulated or — if the conversation hasn’t been gentle on authors — they think I’m about to start an argument.
So I usually just shut up and hope they don’t ask what I do for a living. Because I’m not sure what I’d say.
After such a conversation the other day, I slunk back home and turned on my computer and hid in the story I’m writing, The Snow Queen. The heroine, Laurie, is a professional artist and that’s kind of similar to being an author. I’ll bet she’s been unwillingly involved in such conversations and I wonder how she handled them.
I think I’ll ask her.
Oops, maybe not because, as the author of The Snow Queen, I’d have to figure out what she’d say and I haven’t a clue.
Hi Florence, I usually say to myself, whatever, people are going to talk anyways, and some do only cause they can, so in one ear and out the other. And you are right, it’s best to just listen, or not. Your new book sounds like a very good book. Have a Great weekend. Take Care. God Bless you.
Good to hear from you. Yes, that’s pretty much the conclusion I’ve come to. Smile and don’t pay any attention to what they are saying. And, come to think of it, that’s good advice for a lot of situations. Glad you mentioned it.