Thursday, April 12, 2007

Quirky, Quirk, Quirk

Everyone talks about writers being eccentric and quirky, right? Well, I'm a writer and I'm not quirky. I'm a very very very very very very very normal individual.

So, knowing how normal I am, I don't know where those funky writers-are-weird rumors come from, hence I've developed the theory that it's just what un-creative people say. Kind of like those girls in high-school mom said only talked badly about people to make themselves feel better. However, I have to admit that I do know of some writers that are down right weird, but in the spirit of 'saying something nice' we'll use the word quirky. For example:

Julie Wright checks her word count every few paragraphs and hits save after EVERY sentence. She says she's a paranoid obsessive compulsive--do we want to raise an argument to that? She's also worn only one color of lipstick for the last ten years. AND, she's blown up a computer. She has a weird electrical thing going on and has a bit of a current running through her. She's always shocking people--not by what she says, but the shock you used to give when you'd shuffled your feed on the carpet. If she wears her hair down, it starts floating like when you put your hand on that electro-ball thing in science class. I kid you not.

Steven King "I have a glass of water or I have a cup of tea. I have my vitamin pill, I have my music; I have my same seat; and the papers are all arranged in the same places." And yes, he's the guy that wrote The Shining. "All work and no play makes Jack (ur, Steven) a dull boy."

Heather Moore (H.B. Moore from my pen name blog) will turn off the lights if she has a chunk of time to write, she's also been known to close her eyes and type. She didn't give me a reason for this but I wonder if it's like those times as a child when you would cover your eyes and think no one could see you. If only it were that easy...

Hans Christian Andersen put a sign next to his bed that read “I am not really dead.” And I have to wonder, was it the ugly duckling or Little Mermaid that knocked his rocker over?

Jeff Savage...oh where to start. For firsts, he LIKES Disneyland, secondly, he met his wife with a bag over his head. That explains a lot. And he didn't get back to me with his quirks so I think whatever his quirks are have to do with tomato soup and Peter, Paul, and Mary. He's welcome to correct me in the comments trail.

Annette Lyon, who has all kinds of education and credentials freezes when someone is looking over her shoulder. Doesn't matter who, she can't physically write if someone is reading as she goes. She also names rocks.

Charles Dickens walked twenty to thirty miles a day. He also placed objects on his desk in exactly the same position, always set his bed in north/south directions, and touched certain objects three times for luck--quite frankly, having read a little Dickens, this does not surprise me.

Rachel Nunes Always signs books in black or gold ink, never never never blue because she doesn't like the way it looks in books. She also has a nervous reaction to
people that misuse lay/lie and she will correct you (I know this because I don't know the difference between lying on a test and laying under a bus:-) And whenver she's on TV, she wears red.

Stephanie Black is also a closet book whisperer. She whispers while she writes and her face begins to contort into her 'writer's face'. I wonder if this is like when the dog bares his teeth in order to get you to BACK OFF. I might need to look into this one.

Carole Thayne always wears socks when she writes. Warm feet, warm fingers perhaps.

And me? I told you, I don't have any. I'm a very very very very very very very normal person. Good thing too, someone's got to throw off the curve.

Are you a quirker? Or is it time to make good on the blackmail material you have on someone else? I'm all ears (or eyes since it's a blog and all)

(Portions of this blog gleaned from Judy Reeves)


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Crap, I didn't get back to you in time.

My quirk is that I cannot stand to see the mouse icon while I'm typing. I have to move it off to the side of the page where I can't see it.

Stephanie Black said...

I have Annette's quirk too--I can't write if someone is looking over my shoulder. It drives me crazy if someone can see what I'm writing, even if it's just an e-mail. When I'm working on a novel--particularly the early drafts--I'll quickly minimize my file if someone gets too close. Letting someone watch me work would be like letting someone crawl into my brain. For instance, if my husband and I are sitting together on the couch and I'm working on my book, I can't sit next to him--I have to turn so the back of my laptop is facing him.

C.J. said...

Of course I wear socks while writing. Anyone would have to be insane not to wear socks 24 hrs. a day.

C.J. said...

Oh and yes I can't stand someone looking over my shoulder either. I just stop until they leave.

Annette Lyon said...

To set the record straight, I do not name rocks. But like any sane person, I name cars. My sister murdered both Louise and Betty. I enjoyed the hours I spent driving Arthur. I'm not sure where Eleanor is now, but she never was the same after her A/C gave out . . .

Josi said...

Elephant Rock? Was that not a ROCK and was it not named by YOU?

I never tell a lie/lay--check out her book "At the Water's Edge" if you are at all tempted to believe Annette over me.

Tristi Pinkston said...

I didn't get back to you on time either! I feel so . . . late!

My quirks:

1. I write better if I have Vicks rubbed on my nose and if I'm wearing lip balm.

2. I drag myself through the last several pages of my final rewrite with chocolate. If there's no chocolate, there's no "the end."

3. I can't write with music on. I can't stand instrumental, and if there are words, I have to sing along, and I can't write and sing at the same time. Hence, no music.

4. I would be one of those insane "no sock wearers."

Annette Lyon said...

Oh. Yeah. I take it back. I do name rocks. After animals, no less. I also fake-type signs I see on the street with my toes as we pass them in the car, compulsively crack my knuckles, can't fall asleep unless I'm lying on my left side, and wear socks in the middle of July. Quirky, quirky, quirk. My eye is twitching already.

Annette Lyon said...

But YOU wear sunglasses on indoors and on rainy days.

Josi said...

Well...yeah, and sometimes, depending on the hair-do, I wear two pair, one to keep my hair in place and one to keep from being blinded by the Shunshine.

But that's not SO quirky...is it?

Anonymous said...

Tristi, I'm the opposite. I have to listen to music, and it has to have words.

Anna said...

I like to listen to music while I write. If I can find the right type of music for the story, it can really get the creative juices flowing.

I also do not like to have someone standing behind me while I type. Even if they are not looking at my screen, I minimize.