Dear Universe:

[stillsostrange]

I am really not that clumsy. This coffee spilling business needs to stop.

Thank you.

Thank goodness for black clothing.

wicked_wish mentions the struggling writer as protagonist and how annoying it is. I agree. Annoying as all get out. (I also agree that Stephen King does well with writers as protagonists. Bag of Bones is my personal favorite.) I think we've all figured out the annoying neurotic parts of writing on our own, thanks. And while I can listen to my friends talk about writing all day long, I really don't need it in fiction. I'm not particularly fond of either grubby apartment/struggling writer stories, or of fantasy-writer-goes-to-fantasyland stories. (The former are boring, the latter make me jealous.)

Of course, I have a great fondness for academics as protags, and I suspect that annoys some people too. Alas and wailaway.

Did I have something else worthwhile to say...? Guess not.

Comments

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

It was great! I was kind of tired of King, and then I tripped over BoB. I love ghost stories.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I like academics, as long as they aren't creative writing profs. Except in Francine Prose's The Blue Angel, in which the stupid ass creative writing prof wrecks his life by doing all the things they usually get away with in such novels. That made me happy. Because I am mean.

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

Nonono creative writing profs. I like anthropologists and medievalists and geologists and physicists and people who can think about fun and interesting things inbetween bouts of monster-wrestling.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

And when you have a mathematician who just can't get to the key insight of their proof, it feels like a plot point rather than just the writer whining.

[ginny-t.livejournal.com]

I'm a tea drinker, but for awhile, I would have a rare coffee on particularly tired mornings. See where this is going? I swore off the stuff the day that I decided to have a wake-up coffee, but ended up pouring it all down my skirt while trying to get at the milk. Now, I just suffer through the stupid tired mornings.

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

I sat there for about five minutes, sipping my coffee, wondering how'd I get that spot on my jeans?--*drip*--how'd I get that spot on my shirt?--*drip* The little sippy lids are not morning-proof.

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

I mentioned on Cherie's LJ that I don't much care for writer-as-character stories either, but later it occurred to me that this premise isn't so much my problem: It's the cliches. Or as she put it, the authors who go, "Look! I'm an author who writes about an author! That's never been done before, hain't it?"

I don't mind a book about a writer if it's not a book about a writer who whines Writing is haaaaaaaarrrrd, but rather, for instance, uses a writer's imagination to see things / events in a somewhat different way than he might otherwise. Just like I wouldn't want to read about a professor who whines Academic politics is haaaaaaaarrrrd, but might use her special training to put a new spin on what she's doing in the book.

Does that make any sense?

[jmeadows.livejournal.com]

or of fantasy-writer-goes-to-fantasyland stories. ... the latter make me jealous.)

Eeep. Oh dear! You know, though, while I have read plenty of books with unsuspecting person goes to fantasyland, I've never read fantasy writer goes to fantasyland. I suspect I need to read more.

But now you've got me thinking. Tabetha is a fantasy writer. And yes, she goes to fantasyland. My original idea behind this was--she goes to fantasyland (unsuspecting, yes), but she figures she'll be fine because, hey, it's her world, right? She should get along just fine (assuming she can find a good wheelchair).

But no! Things are NOT all good and fancy and she soon realizes she doesn't speak the language, she wants more than anything to shower, and there are bugs (OH the bugs!). And really, the male lead needs to find some deodorant before he tries snuggling up on her. 'Cause ew.

I dunno. I bet it's still going to turn out all cliche. *embraces cliche* *realizes this book will never get published* *writes it anyway*

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if there are enough of them to be a cliche yet. I think you're safe. :)

All my characters come with built in deodorant, I think. Eww. Also, I notice my girls never need to shave their legs.

[jmeadows.livejournal.com]

*nod* all my fantasyland fantasy characters come with DO and shaven legs.

Just to mess with Tabetha, she will not.

And she will get a sunburn. Water blisters. Pealing. Itching.

And hairy legs. :D

I'm thinking... everything you and I do daily (teeth brushing, hair brushing, washing, shaving, deodorant, simple going to the bathroom....), Tabetha will suddenly remember and be very unhappy. :D