Friday, February 25, 2011

Boring without a writer

Life would be boring without writers (or being a writer).

I was in bed last weekend attempting to catch a few extra minutes of shut eye when an idea came to me (that and my cat Ellie has this constant need for attention).

I thought about what it would be like to be in my husbands head for a day. After I said it I realized what I'd be giving up.

Yes, there would be silence, no headaches, no working out character problems. A blissful day off. But let's say my husband and I swapped. The number one thing he doesn't like, is the feeling of being overwhelmed (doesn't everyone?). I'm on constant overload, thinking about what social network site I need to check out so I don't lose touch. What to make (or not make) for dinner, the works.

However in my husbands brain I might be MORE overwhelmed. After all he's a numbers guys, always working out the facts, the budget.

I guess all of us are made to have our own brains. Built with our own strengths and weaknesses. Never meant to swap. So since my husband already loves and supports me that should be enough. After all, he wouldn't know what to do in this brain of mine.

So let's leave the brain swapping out of this and just remember that life is truly boring without a writer and I'm happy to be one.

What do you like most about being a writer?

70 comments:

Laura Pauling said...

I like the creativity part and working with words is too much fun - even the tough times. My husband would go nuts if he knew how often plot ideas were swirling through my head!

Len Lambert said...

I like it that we can create a world based on our own rules, hehehe. I love playing with words. I love all the emotions and feelings within the story and creating characters that feel so real in my head.

Unknown said...

I like that that, given what I know about story structure and set ups, I can often times see what is going to happen in a movie and or a book early on. It's fun to shout it out 25% of the way into a DVD and watch my husband's perplexed face when my prophecy comes true, "How did you...?"

But I LOVE when I'm wrong. I love it when a writer fools me. Well, fools me fairly. I had all I needed to figure it out and it was still a surprise.

Lindsay N. Currie said...

Hmmm. . . I think I'd have to say that I love having a scene come together and hearing the reaction from a trusted beta tester or family member that it kicks butt. That makes all of the insanity in my head worth it LOL!! Have a GREAT weekend Jen:)

Terri Tiffany said...

I love the opportunity to create and meet new characters:)

T.D. McFrost said...

Going to work in my underwear. I can just roll over, grab my laptop and (VOILA!) I'm working.

Have a great weekend!

Anne Gallagher said...

I could never be a numbers guy. Just the thought of it makes me swoon.

I think the best part of being a writer is the silence. Just me and my keyboard clacking away.

Have a great weekend.

Christine Danek said...

My hubs is a numbers guy too. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but the support is getting there.
I love creating new worlds and characters. It's the best. Ahhh. See relaxed just thinking about it.
Although, having 5 sets of characters talking in your head at the same time can create a little stress.
HAve a great weekend!

Bren said...

I love my imagination. It's great being able to imagine characters and a story in my mind and then see it develop before me on the page.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

I had way too many visuals while I read this. LOL Being in my husbands head...hmmm...

What I most love about writing. Creating. It's such a great journey. I also like the next step. After the ideas, I love how writing pushes me past myself to be more, to give more than I thought I could.

Erica Mitchell said...

Yikes! I thought about what it would be like if my husband and I swapped...it would be hell on him. Not even joking ;) I would gladly take a break and use his brain for a day, then I would get that itch...to create and to write.
That is what I love about writing, it's always there no matter what and I control the amount of creativity I put into each story.

Have a great weekend m'dear. <333

Misha Gerrick said...

I love that I can let my mind wander without feeling guilty.

Annnd...

I love that I can keep myself company in fifty voices.

;-)

Alison Pearce Stevens said...

I love watching a world come into creation out of thin air. Especially this time of year (when it's gray, brown, and more gray), I can escape to the rich colors scents and textures of the other world.

Have a great weekend!

Matthew MacNish said...

I can't imagine not imagining things.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Writing is a great way to express your creative side. It is also an emotional outlet. where else can you travel the world, eat fabulous food, have the hottest romance/sex with the perfect woman/man, without leaving the comforts of home.


Have a great weekend... Party at my blog! Celebrating making the first cut in ABNA.

Michael

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'm the writer and I still couldn't handle a swap with my wife's brain!

Bish Denham said...

I like how ideas come to me out of now where, take me by surprise. Of course, I have WAY more than I'll ever be able to write about, but each one is special.

Christine Fonseca said...

HA! Love this. I have been wrestling with the whole "am I a writer or what?" thing of late - so I've been thinking a lot about this kind of thing. And I guess, I just love the creative outlet, amongst other things

Karen Baldwin said...

I always have someone to play with in my head.

Jennifer Shirk said...

I guess I love creating the characters and sometimes surprising myself when something pops on the page and I look at it and think, "Huh, I didn't know that about them." LOL

BECKY said...

I love expressing my thoughts and feelings and getting feedback.(I write memoir/essays.) I always think, too....What the heck did I think about before I wrote? What did I do all day and night before I wrote?...I can't remember! :)

Jess said...

I like having this online community to go to for support, advice, and laughter!

Rachele Alpine said...

So true! If I was in someone else's head, maybe I could sleep at night without all of my characters talking to me!

Summer Ross said...

I love having the new ideas- since I write in short stories and poetry- I do not tend to get bored of writing- I'm always working on something new- whether it be an academic paper or these fairy poems I have started- the idea springs into my head and I have to find paper. Its great feeling- I can feel myself bubble over with excitement each time.

Jillian said...

I can't imagin not having soem sort of creative outlet haha

Lisa Galek said...

I like having such a close relationship with words. Being moved by them or thinking about them or just turning them over in my head. And I love being able to create things that move people or make them laugh or smile or think or whatever.

Carolyn V said...

Being a writer has definitely made my life more interesting. Plus the chocolate obsession has grown more than I would like.

Michelle Merrill said...

Creating worlds, emotions, everything :) And I've found some awesome friends.

Connie Keller said...

I love "going" to my own world and leaving this one behind. And I love the rush that comes when you create. I think I'm addicted to that rush, and it keeps me going despite all the difficulties of writing/publishing/etc.

Jai Joshi said...

One of the things I love about being a writer is the fascination with figuring out what makes people tick. Love that.

Jai

Anonymous said...

I love getting lost in my character's world the most. I wouldn't swap brains with my hubby any day. The things I worry about are way less important that what he faces each day. I'm just lucky he has the shoulders to bear it. :)

I'm happy to be a writer. Having strange thoughts and characters and ideas floating around in my head is totally fun!

B.E.T. said...

My favorite part is being able to sit somewhere with apparently nothing to do for hours and entertain myself the entire time with the characters in my head! I'm never, ever bored!

A. B. Keuser said...

Brain swap makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

Melissa said...

I think both you and your husband would be overwhelmed with each other's brains!!

My favorite part about writing is the adrenaline rush! You know how that is! (in fact, I'm pretty sure you feel that way right now!) I love that powerful feeling like I can do and accomplish anything. Another thing I love is how close I feel to myself when I write. Maybe that's an odd thing to say but it's the truth!

jeanette from everton terrace said...

How timely for me. This morning while we were do the stretching portion of our workout I asked my husband what he was thinking, he said "nothing I'm feeling my muscles relax". He asked what I was thinking - "should I make oatmeal for breakfast, do we have cheese for the panini's for dinner tonight and all the ingredients for the cake to take to the Oscar Party, did I mail those birthday cards yesterday blah blah". He said to tell mind to shut up and stretch, I tried. It didn't work :)

Katie Ganshert said...

I like getting to create stories and then seeing them delight or encourage readers! That's by far the best part!

Nicole Zoltack said...

The creativity. And the research. The spark of a new idea.

Anonymous said...

So many things: the ability to escape from reality, to reach out to people through the written word, never having nothing to do....

Some days it's just too stressful. But other days (most days) I don't think I could live without it.

Talli Roland said...

Oh, so many things! Most of which people have already said here... but I must admit, I do love writing within 50 feet of the fridge.

Kari Marie said...

Nothing beats the writing high when I nail a scene or my characters surprise me. I can go without sleep for just one writing high. It's kind of like being a teenager in love.

There will never be swapping of brains with Beloved Husband. Ever.

Myne said...

I love being able to give my imagination free rein..

Arlee Bird said...

I like being able to say whatever I want and when someone complains I can say, "That wasn't me talking, that was my character."

Lee
Tossing It Out

Sondrae Bennett said...

I love being able to take an idea out of my head and create something from it. To finish writing a story, look down, and realize I have something solid and real to show for it. I think that's my favorite part. Creating something from one little idea.

Christina Lee said...

I sometimes wish I had my hubby's techie/math/mechanical sense, but I'll take my made-up worlds and be very happy!

Jennie Bailey said...

Let's just say it's NEVER boring being me! I may not always like being up in my own head, but I can use images to get through bad stuff (like dental appointments)! I love being a creative person.

Meredith said...

So true! I'm happy to have my own brain and my own writerly problems. :)

Lindsay said...

I love everything about writing. Yes, even the hair-tugging parts when I'm frustrated. I love creating characters and worlds. My parents always said I lived in my own head, but I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

Jennifer Hillier said...

As appealing as the silence would be, I don't think I could give up my writer's brain. Too much fun stuff happens in there. But a break from it once in awhile would be nice! I wish it had an OFF switch...

Michelle in a shell said...

Switching brains with your partner is a really intersting idea! I think I would enjoy being in my boyfriends more than he would enjoy mine though.

Krispy said...

What I like most about being a writer? Never getting bored! There's always something to work on/play with in my head. :)

Elizabeth Briggs said...

Oh man I could never switch with my husband, it would be math and programming and computers all day.

BUT I dated a fellow writer once and it was too weird... so maybe we need someone a little different to balance out our writerly crazy.

Amie Borst said...

i love that my craziness can so easily be excused. "Forgive her...she's a writer."

Jemi Fraser said...

I love the constant fun that's going on. There's never a moment of loneliness or boredom!

Anonymous said...

I know my husband appreciates when I wake him up in the middle of the night to discuss an idea. So he's not bored!

New follower A-Z

Soooz Burke said...

I write because I must, it's an addiction, a mind expanding unable to be kicked addiction.

I live alone ... except for the myriad characters that people my written words. I am never lonely, or bored and if the muse takes a rare rest; I edit...eeeek!

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Hanny said...

I'm mortified by the idea of my wife knowing what I'm thinking half the time! I'd get in so much trouble;)

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

I love my imaginary friends and the places they take me.

Elizabeth Mueller said...

I love the escapism writing gives me. The "belonging" to the special class of writers. We are an awesome breed of folk that understands one another quite clearly the passion of singularity weirdness in finding such joy in imaginary peoples and worlds!

Have a great weekend!

♥.•*¨ Elizabeth ¨*•.♥

Anonymous said...

I enjoy daydreaming and then writing about what I daydreamed about.

Sage Ravenwood said...

The whole eccentricity dare or devil may care attitude. We do things wholly inappropiate (acting out in child-like wonder)and can often be found talking to ourselves.

Not to mention we entertain a head full of broken, startling, horrid characters roaming about; who keep company with resilient, strong, beautiful spirits. They're noisy SOB's sometimes. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

I live the madness (this might just be me *shrugs). (Hugs)Indigo

Will Burke said...

The best thing about writing? Sitting with a coffe (or four) and getting lost in a world that others think I'm creating.

Amie Kaufman said...

Can I cheat and list two things? The first would be those moments when you suddenly think OH! And AH-HA! And a plot problem resolves before your very eyes.

The second (sappy alert) is being a part of the writing community. It's so positive and supportive!

Wild Child said...

Why does it seem (to me) that women obsess and deal with all the details? I am always working out the details for the kids activities, what we need for dinner foods, when the appointments are. I feel like I need a break from it, but if I try a break, it doesn't get done and I'm back to it all again. How can men just turn off some of the details, but feel all obliged about their work stuff. I get both of that.

Why am I glad to be a writer? I think so I can have a chance to express myself, even if it is just opinions here and there.

Tara said...

You have got a fantastic blog here! Thanks for stopping by Fiction Folio and nice chatting with you on Twitter :)

The Words Crafter said...

For me, it's having an excuse for all of my daydreams!

Susan Fields said...

I love so much about being a writer - coming up with a great plot twist, finding just the right word, falling in love with a character. Life would be very boring with my writing!

fakesteph said...

Every time I read your blog I get nervous for your waiting!

Samantha Vérant said...

I'm afraid if I got into my husband's head for a day...I'd never get out. I'm pretty sure his inner head (which probably talks as much as his outer one) would keep me there for an eternity. Totally frightening!

blank said...

I really wouldnt want to be in my Boyfriends head ever ive seen some of the films he has on the shelf crazy zombie B movies lol. we watched one last night terror planet yi was very surprised to see bruce willis and tarintino in it funny but rather puketastic.

I love beng a writer beacuse theres aways a movie going on in my head and trying to put it on paper.

Just to let you know that I see you see has had a huge over haul and has moved to http://pageturning-serena.blogspot.com/ hope to see you there xx

Amanda said...

My husband is a numbers guy, too, and I know I couldn't do what he does. Ever!

I love the surprise of being a writer -- how the story unfolds in ways you often wouldn't imagine.