POLL -- what kind of people should NOT become writers?
$Zero
it's an interesting question, no?
-$Zero...
Renowned linguist Steven Pinker speaks at
Google's Mountain View, CA, headquarters...
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.writing/msg/8abfc21000a5ba4b
$Zero
> POLL -- what kind of people should NOT become writers?
obligatory edit:
the singular has been substituted for the plural in the subject line.
> it's an interesting question, no?
>
> -$Zero...
>
> Renowned linguist Steven Pinker speaks at
> Google's Mountain View, CA, headquarters...
> http://groups.google.com/group/misc.writing/msg/8abfc21000a5ba4b
-$Zero...
POLL -- what kinds of people should NOT become writers?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.writing/msg/719255054cc72c47
PJ
> POLL -- what kind of people should NOT become writers?
Those whose only motive is fame and fortune, rather than passion for
writing.
Those who are lazy.
Those who whine.
Those who are not disciplined.
Those who think grammar and proper language don't matter.
Those who are not willing to work like they've never worked before in
order to achieve their goal.
Those who cannot handle rejection.
Those who cannot handle criticism.
Those who are blind to the value of editors.
Those who don't love reading, or don't see the value in it.
Those who think they can't learn anything new, or aren't willing to.
Those who think they can ever retire from writing. A writer friend of
mine says, "Writers never quit writing, they die."
There's more but that's all I can think of right now.
> it's an interesting question, no?
Absolutely.
~ ~ ~
PJ
Bill Penrose
> POLL -- what kind of people should NOT become writers?
>
> it's an interesting question, no?
Not really. If you come up with a rule, there will always be an
exception.
DB
$Zero
ba'dum, chsh!
but seriously, have a crack at PJ's list and try to make the
exceptions.
-$Zero...
what's your opinion worth?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.writing/msg/a938ab61ffc9d6de
Bill Penrose
> but seriously, have a crack at PJ's list and try to make the
> exceptions.
Actually, I'm too lazy.
DB
Thomas Armagost
PJ <autho...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> $Zero wrote:
>
>> POLL -- what kind of people should NOT become writers?
>
> Those whose only motive is fame and fortune, rather than
> passion for writing.
Damn.
Doesn't a gifted hack have a gift regardless?
> Those who are lazy.
Damn.
Robert Heinlein described himself as the laziest man who ever
lived. He wasted hours indulging in personal correspondence.
> Those who whine.
Damn.
A whine could be an opinion worth sharing.
> Those who are not disciplined.
Damn.
Those who are disciplined are often unimaginative.
> Those who think grammar and proper language don't matter.
Damn.
One could be a poet.
> Those who are not willing to work like they've never worked
> before in order to achieve their goal.
Damn.
What if you become so absorbed that you enter the Zen state in
which you're not even aware that you're working? What if reaching
the goal becomes unimportant, and the journey is all that matters?
> Those who cannot handle rejection.
Damn.
What if your way of handling rejection is to submit your work
elsewhere?
> Those who cannot handle criticism.
Damn.
The criticism of seasoned pros like Skippy?
> Those who are blind to the value of editors.
Damn.
The best text editors are free. I'm using TextWrangler for Mac
OS X right now. It's freeware.
> Those who don't love reading, or don't see the value in it.
Damn.
What if you're too busy writing to read?
> Those who think they can't learn anything new, or aren't willing
> to.
Damn.
What if your writings would help others to learn something new?
> Those who think they can ever retire from writing. A writer
> friend of mine says, "Writers never quit writing, they die."
Damn.
Stiff, dead fingers. Innit.
> There's more but that's all I can think of right now.
>
>> it's an interesting question, no?
>
> Absolutely.
Abso[bleep]inglutely.
--
"Don't forget to register to vote" - Frank Zappa
http://sillyblog.net/wp
Thomas Armagost
>
>> Those whose only motive is fame and fortune, rather than
>> passion for writing.
>
> Damn.
>
> Doesn't a gifted hack have a gift regardless?
>
>> Those who are lazy.
>
> Damn.
>
> Robert Heinlein described himself as the laziest man who ever
> lived. He wasted hours indulging in personal correspondence.
>
>> Those who whine.
>
> Damn.
>
> A whine could be an opinion worth sharing.
>
>> Those who are not disciplined.
>
>> Damn.
>
> Those who are disciplined are often unimaginative.
>
>> Those who think grammar and proper language don't matter.
>
> Damn.
>
> One could be a poet.
>
>> Those who are not willing to work like they've never worked
>> before in order to achieve their goal.
>
> Damn.
>
> which you're not even aware that you're working? What if reaching
> the goal becomes unimportant, and the journey is all that matters?
>
>> Those who cannot handle rejection.
>
> Damn.
>
> What if your way of handling rejection is to submit your work
> elsewhere?
>
>> Those who cannot handle criticism.
>
> Damn.
>
> The criticism of seasoned pros like Skippy?
>
>> Those who are blind to the value of editors.
>
> Damn.
>
> The best text editors are free. I'm using TextWrangler for Mac
> OS X right now. It's freeware.
>
>> Those who don't love reading, or don't see the value in it.
>
> Damn.
>
> What if you're too busy writing to read?
>
>> Those who think they can't learn anything new, or aren't willing
>> to.
>
> Damn.
>
> What if your writings would help others to learn something new?
>
>> Those who think they can ever retire from writing. A writer
>> friend of mine says, "Writers never quit writing, they die."
>
> Damn.
>
> Stiff, dead fingers. Innit.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Oscar_wilde_in_dublin.jpg
Lazy bastard!
PJ
> PJ wrote> >
>> Absolutely.
>
> Abso[bleep]inglutely.
Well my goodness Thomas, there are certainly lots of "damns" in your
post. I don't think I said anything that outrageous, but I certainly
welcome your thoughts.
~ ~ ~
PJ
Thomas Armagost
[chomp]
>
>>> Those who are not disciplined.
>
>> Damn.
Disciplined?
"Don't mess with the Moderatrix!"
http://tinyurl.com/62qqbj
[The Register]
It's available on a t-shirt for $20.
http://www.cashandcarrion.co.uk/show_all.html
FYI... I have no involvement with The Register.
> Lazy bastard!
Wikipedia says "Statue of Oscar Wilde in Dublin's Merrion Square
(Archbishop Ryan Park)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde
Role model.
Thomas Armagost
>
> Well my goodness Thomas, there are certainly lots of "damns" in
> your post. I don't think I said anything that outrageous, but I
> certainly welcome your thoughts.
All of your advice was sensible.
I'll translate my earlier followup.
Damn. My only motive is fame and fortune.
Damn. I'm lazy.
Damn. I whine.
Damn. I'm undisciplined.
Damn. I think grammar and proper language don't matter.
Damn. I'm unwilling to work hard.
Damn. I can't handle rejection.
Damn. I can't handle criticism.
Damn. I'm blind to the value of editors.
Damn. I don't see the value in reading.
Damn. I'm unwilling to learn anything new.
Damn. I was hoping to retire from writing someday.
boots
What were you hoping to retire to?
--
Don't read this crap... oops, too late!
[superstitious heathen grade 8]
PJ
> PJ <autho...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Well my goodness Thomas, there are certainly lots of "damns" in
> > your post. I don't think I said anything that outrageous, but I
> > certainly welcome your thoughts.
>
> All of your advice was sensible.
>
> I'll translate my earlier followup.
>
> Damn. My only motive is fame and fortune.
Well then, I hope you achieve that.
>
> Damn. I'm lazy.
Got vitamins? <g>
>
> Damn. I whine.
Everyone does at some point.
>
> Damn. I'm undisciplined.
That'll need some work.
>
> Damn. I think grammar and proper language don't matter.
I don't believe that.
>
> Damn. I'm unwilling to work hard.
That'll need some work.
>
> Damn. I can't handle rejection.
>
> Damn. I can't handle criticism.
Those'll need some work.
>
> Damn. I'm blind to the value of editors.
Oh Zen ..........
>
> Damn. I don't see the value in reading.
I don't believe that either.
>
> Damn. I'm unwilling to learn anything new.
Now I *know* you're pulling my leg.
>
> Damn. I was hoping to retire from writing someday.
Nope. Ain't gonna happen. You can try, but your hand will start shaking
and itching and you'll feel you're going insane until you can find a pen
and paper.
~ ~ ~
PJ
$Zero
> $Zero wrote:
>
> > POLL -- what kind of people should NOT become writers?
>
> Those whose only motive is fame and fortune,
> rather than passion for writing.
do you know any people that are writers that don't have a passion for
it?
> Those who are lazy.
if not a writer, what should those who are lazy become?
> Those who whine.
if not a writer, what should those who whine become?
> Those who are not disciplined.
if not a writer, what should those who are not disciplined become?
> Those who think grammar and proper language don't matter.
huh?
could you rephrase that?
> Those who are not willing to work like they've never
> worked before in order to achieve their goal.
which goal?
> Those who cannot handle rejection.
if not a writer, what should those who cannot handle rejection become?
> Those who cannot handle criticism.
if not a writer, what should those who cannot handle criticism become?
> Those who are blind to the value of editors.
editors have opinions like everyone else.
who doesn't know the value of that?
> Those who don't love reading, or don't see the value in it.
reading exposes you to ideas, alleged facts, and other such opinions
and entertainment.
> Those who think they can't learn anything new, or aren't willing to.
are you suggesting that Republicans should not become writers?
> Those who think they can ever retire from writing.
poets can retire.
> A writer friend of mine says,
> "Writers never quit writing, they die."
rage against the dying of the light.
> There's more but that's all I can think of right now.
lists.
once you start making them, you just can't stop.
> > it's an interesting question, no?
>
> Absolutely.
relatively speaking, sure.
-$Zero...
what advice would you give yourself?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.writing/msg/70a70e1e783568d6
serenebabe
> On Aug 7, 4:40�pm, PJ <authores...@gmail.com> wrote:
<...>
>> Those who are lazy.
>
> if not a writer, what should those who are lazy become?
I tend to see "lazy" as a way of describing someone who isn't putting
energy into what others think they should.
I'm not even sure that there is such a thing as being lazy. Being lazy
about some things, sure, but, I think everyone's not lazy about some
things in their lives. (Even if that means they are not at all lazy
about making sure they have cigarettes on hand, for example.)
--
It's All About We! (the column) -- NEW August 1, "What I did with all
that kale..."
http://www.serenebabe.net/
boots
>On Aug 7, 4:40?pm, PJ <authores...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> $Zero wrote:
>>
>> > POLL -- what kind of people should NOT become writers?
>>
>> Those whose only motive is fame and fortune,
>> rather than passion for writing.
>
>do you know any people that are writers that don't have a passion for
>it?
Are those who write technical manuals or website copy not writers?
What of those who write nonfiction? What is the essence that sets
apart grinding from writing?
Is it the passion that makes the writer, or the writing that makes the
passion?
Need it be only one or the other?
>> Those who are lazy.
>
>if not a writer, what should those who are lazy become?
Stop pushing my buttons.
>> Those who whine.
>
>if not a writer, what should those who whine become?
>
>
>> Those who are not disciplined.
>
>if not a writer, what should those who are not disciplined become?
>
>
>> Those who think grammar and proper language don't matter.
>
>huh?
>
>could you rephrase that?
Does she need passion to rephrase it?
Propriety has value when not having it gets you something besides
shown to the door.
>> Those who are not willing to work like they've never
>> worked before in order to achieve their goal.
>
>which goal?
>
>
>> Those who cannot handle rejection.
>
>if not a writer, what should those who cannot handle rejection become?
>
>
>> Those who cannot handle criticism.
>
>if not a writer, what should those who cannot handle criticism become?
>
>
>> Those who are blind to the value of editors.
>
>editors have opinions like everyone else.
>
>who doesn't know the value of that?
A wisetard once said that everybody has an opinion and most of them
are wrong.
>> Those who don't love reading, or don't see the value in it.
>
>reading exposes you to ideas, alleged facts, and other such opinions
>and entertainment.
>
>
>> Those who think they can't learn anything new, or aren't willing to.
>
>are you suggesting that Republicans should not become writers?
Are you feeling Canadian today, $Zero?
>> Those who think they can ever retire from writing.
>
>poets can retire.
Poets are often retiring people.
>> A writer friend of mine says,
>> "Writers never quit writing, they die."
>
>rage against the dying of the light.
Retiring is like running, you can do it from or to.
boots
>On 2008-08-09 13:49:52 -0400, "$Zero" <zero...@gmail.com> said:
>
>> On Aug 7, 4:40?pm, PJ <authores...@gmail.com> wrote:
><...>
>>> Those who are lazy.
>>
>> if not a writer, what should those who are lazy become?
>
>I tend to see "lazy" as a way of describing someone who isn't putting
>energy into what others think they should.
>
>I'm not even sure that there is such a thing as being lazy. Being lazy
>about some things, sure, but, I think everyone's not lazy about some
>things in their lives. (Even if that means they are not at all lazy
>about making sure they have cigarettes on hand, for example.)
The difference between shirking and refusing is more subtle for some
than for others.