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10 Things to Love About Being a Writer

10. You’re able to work in your pyjamas. I don’t, but I gather others do. Pyjama on, my friends. Go bravely into the flannel.

 9. You don’t have an office job. But you do, really. If you don’t think of writing as a job (pyjamas or not), you’ll never get anywhere. Those manuscripts don’t write themselves. There’s no app for that.

 8. You don’t have to make polite conversations with your co-workers. Although I consider ‘liking’ people’s posts on Facebook as the equivalent.

 7. You HAVE no co-workers. Usually. But partnerships happen. Rejoice in the real-person contact. Compare and contrast your pyjama pants.

 6. Lunch time is at your discretion. As is its content.

 5. And duration.

 4. You can (occasionally) receive praise for your writing from strangers. This means far more than praise from people you know. Odd, but true.

 3. The best praise is royalties. Best, best, best. Yes, I know people say it’s not about the money. I disagree. Money is never a bad thing.

 2. You get to ‘meet’ wonderful people all over the world. I can say I know people in Botswana, the UK, the US, Greece and Finland. This is not a bad thing.

 1. There IS a writing app - Butt in Chair, Fingers on Keyboard. DO IT.

Elspeth Futcher is an author and playwright. Her murder mystery games A Fatal Fairy Tale, Deadly Ever After and Curiouser and Curiouser are among the top-selling mystery games on the Internet. All thirteen of her murder mystery games and two audience-interactive plays are published by host-party.com. Her newest game, Once Upon a Murder, is now available and published by Red Herring Games. Her 'writing sheep' are a continuing feature in the European writers' magazine Elias. Connect with her on Twitter at @elspethwrites or on Facebook at Elspeth Futcher, Author.

Comments

  1. Love it, love it, love it! Yes, I work in my pajamas (not all the time). Yes, I've met people from other places. Yes, I've made a few dollars here and there. Yes, I found the writing app -- located near the editing app. Great post, Elspeth. My day is now off to a fun start, and it won't even be spent in my pajamas. :-)

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  2. Yes, we writers have it made! The only thing more I could wish for is to have the words automatically come into my brain and onto the computer!

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  3. I love being my own boss and choosing my projects. I love meeting and chatting with other writers: they make the most interesting friends, real and virtual. I love discussing storytelling in all mediums. Conversations never run dry when you are in a room with imaginitive, creative people.

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  4. I hate not being able to fire myself for lack of productivity. But I do love the butt in chair app. Works for editing and marketing too.

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  5. You can give yourself a stern talking to...if you'll listen to yourself.

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  6. I enjoy all of these most of the time. Except during the holidays. I miss the whole - decorating the office, secret Santa, everyone bringing in holiday snacks - thing.

    Of course, I'm writing right now in my pj's so I guess we can't have everything.

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  7. Lunch content and duration. Yes!

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  8. I love every one of these. I've done the pajama thing, often. #1 is the most important though I sometimes need motivation. I wish there were a #11. You have the motivation to turn OFF the Internet.

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  9. Thanks so much for the writing APP. I needed that today, so I am signing off the Internet and working on my book. See ya....

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  10. And we have no one to blame but ourselves when we don't get the job done.

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