September Theme: Misconceptions People Have About Writers

            A lot of great observations have been made in this month’s SMACK DAB posts about ‘misconceptions others have about writers’ and now I am going to add a few more. (My list is very specific to me)
Misconception #1-
*All my friends assume that all writers are Grammarian Kings and Queens...
False- although this is probably usually true, it doesn’t apply to me. I worked very hard when I was in middle school to ignore all the basics of grammar that were being taught. Why? Because I knew that as a future professional Stuntmen I would not need to know how to properly form or punctuate a sentence. I would just need to work on pulling my punches and falling off tall buildings. Of course, I am not a professional stuntman now and my grammar is atrocious. The good news is I recently started to relearn all that I ignored but it’s a hard and slow process. Me is working on it.
Misconception #2-
*My Friends and Family all assume that, even though I am working, I won’t mind a quick interruption...
False- KNOCK. KNOCK. “Hey Mike, I’m going out for a bit. I just wanted to let you know.” I hate this. Would you interrupt a surgeon with some trivial information while he is doing surgery stuff in an operating room? No you wouldn’t. When I am working I am thinking of a zillion things at once and when I hear a knock at the door all those things disappear from my brain. I then get angry, if the interruption is not important, and proceed to kill all the cute kittens near me. “Please don’t interrupt him,” said the cute kitten sitting at my feet. (I have recently come to the conclusion that the creative minds behind the ‘Oogieloves’ kids movie must have been interrupted a lot.)
Misconception #3-
* My wonderful friends and family almost always assume that I know what I’m doing...
False- Sometimes I know what I’m doing but it’s not really that often that I do. For instance, just over a year ago I began a fun project about Presidents and since my friends know that I love American History they were very confident that I would produce something fun and educational but I wasn’t so sure (actually, I was pretty scared.) I had never done anything quite like it and it also came with a fast approaching deadline. There were many times while I was working on it that I came to the conclusion that I didn’t know what I was doing but in the end it all came together (in time for the deadline) and I am super happy with the results!!!
Anyway, that is all I can think of for now concerning the misconception topic but I do want to mention that (a few weeks ago) on September 13th My newest book (a 160 page comic book) about Presidential stuff came out. I will write about it more in another post but I would like to put one copy up for raffle for now!
So, sign up, and I will sign and draw a picture in it for whoever wins!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michael Townsend


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comments

  1. I think we should all post your no. 2 to our FB pages as our status updates! Great list.

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  2. I also love #3. I never know what I'm doing when I start a new project. Page one of a new book can be both as exciting and as frightening as a live performance.

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  3. The biggest misconception I keep running into about writers? That we're not really writing fiction. People always portray fiction writers as thinly veiling their own life stories or stealing their friends' lives. They think our characters are real people we know. I guess it's because if you don't have the imagination of a fiction writer, it's hard to...imagine it. But I, for one, actually make all this stuff up in my head.

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  4. Yes! Number 2. My other fave is when people call and don't leave a message then call back right away because they know I'm home and should answer because it's just a quick thing they have to tell me. Grr. But I don't hurt kittens. Just saying.

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  5. Also, Rafflecopter wouldn't let me enter. :( I'm on Chrome.

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    Replies
    1. Rebecca--you can always feel free to enter by leaving a comment. (I've already included you in this contest!)

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