Talking Shop - with Sonny D
I know some of you out there in Blog-land happen to be really-and-truly published authors. And I also know that all of us in the Writing Game love to 'talk shop.' But depending on your circumstances, that's not always easy to do.
For one thing, your close friends and family couldn't care less. Or if they at least even try, it comes out patronizing - "So, Sonny - what words do YOU have a hard time spelling?" To put them out of their misery, you change the subject to girls or cars. Or, depending on your gender - shopping.
In the hopes of generating a cyber-Algonquin Roundtable, here are a few topics which may generate some serious debate. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves and comment accordingly. My apologies to anyone upon whom I may have already foisted these arguments in the past. Please, pardon my redundancy.
1. So, what words do YOU have a hard time speling?
2. Non-fiction writers - smarter, more creative AND sexier than novelists - True or False?
3. Dress code at work for men - a.) bathrobe & slippers; b.)the 'Lou Grant' look - white shirt & out-of-style tie - shirt-sleeves rolled up, tie loosened at collar; c.)the traditional tweed jacket - suede elbow-patches optional.
4. Dress code at work for women - a.)white dress with pearls; b.) a simple little black dress (see: Jacqueline Susann); c.)bathrobe & slippers; d.) nothing at all.
5. Plagiarism - is it flattery; a "homage"; or just plain stealing?
6. The 'dash' - has it become the lazy man's semi-colon?
7. The hardest part of becoming a 'published author' - finding a publisher? Or - sitting down and writing the damn book?
8. Agents - is 20 per-cent really enough?
9. Background music at the typewriter - an aid or a distraction? Any suggestions?
10. The hottest chicks in literature - Lady Macbeth or Betty & Veronica?
11. 'Writers block' - myth, reality - or just an excuse for spending the day watching the Turner Movie Classics channel?
12. When tallying your final word count, do you include 'and' or 'the'?
13. Editors - why do they make such a big fuss about proper grammer, and correct spelling?
14. Run-on sentences that go on and on and don't make a point but just go on and on and on without making a point. Are they the latest trend?
15. James Frey - does Oprah owe him an apology?
16. Role models - William Shakespeare; Stephen King; Harvey Kurtzman?
17. Other than John Irving, has any writer ever gotten laid by claiming to be "a published author"?
18. Carbon-paper - you hate it, right?
19. What's the big deal about misquoting? Isn't that what libel-insurance is for?
20. Favorite forms of procrastinating when a deadline is looming? Other than on-line porn or 'TCM.'
For one thing, your close friends and family couldn't care less. Or if they at least even try, it comes out patronizing - "So, Sonny - what words do YOU have a hard time spelling?" To put them out of their misery, you change the subject to girls or cars. Or, depending on your gender - shopping.
In the hopes of generating a cyber-Algonquin Roundtable, here are a few topics which may generate some serious debate. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves and comment accordingly. My apologies to anyone upon whom I may have already foisted these arguments in the past. Please, pardon my redundancy.
1. So, what words do YOU have a hard time speling?
2. Non-fiction writers - smarter, more creative AND sexier than novelists - True or False?
3. Dress code at work for men - a.) bathrobe & slippers; b.)the 'Lou Grant' look - white shirt & out-of-style tie - shirt-sleeves rolled up, tie loosened at collar; c.)the traditional tweed jacket - suede elbow-patches optional.
4. Dress code at work for women - a.)white dress with pearls; b.) a simple little black dress (see: Jacqueline Susann); c.)bathrobe & slippers; d.) nothing at all.
5. Plagiarism - is it flattery; a "homage"; or just plain stealing?
6. The 'dash' - has it become the lazy man's semi-colon?
7. The hardest part of becoming a 'published author' - finding a publisher? Or - sitting down and writing the damn book?
8. Agents - is 20 per-cent really enough?
9. Background music at the typewriter - an aid or a distraction? Any suggestions?
10. The hottest chicks in literature - Lady Macbeth or Betty & Veronica?
11. 'Writers block' - myth, reality - or just an excuse for spending the day watching the Turner Movie Classics channel?
12. When tallying your final word count, do you include 'and' or 'the'?
13. Editors - why do they make such a big fuss about proper grammer, and correct spelling?
14. Run-on sentences that go on and on and don't make a point but just go on and on and on without making a point. Are they the latest trend?
15. James Frey - does Oprah owe him an apology?
16. Role models - William Shakespeare; Stephen King; Harvey Kurtzman?
17. Other than John Irving, has any writer ever gotten laid by claiming to be "a published author"?
18. Carbon-paper - you hate it, right?
19. What's the big deal about misquoting? Isn't that what libel-insurance is for?
20. Favorite forms of procrastinating when a deadline is looming? Other than on-line porn or 'TCM.'
posted by Sonny Drysdale at 12:54 PM
5 Comments:
Dagnabbit, Sonny wtf is going on around here?
Are all the commie pinkos that normally hang around here on strike or what?
I say we stage a sit-in at city hall in the mayor's office to let them know we mean f-cking business!
Anyhoo,
If we're all goin' blazes anyways, you might just be onto something there, Butch.
Better to raise a ruckus - rust never sleeps.
Sonny,
a couple of things regarding the dress code for working attire:
1. suede patches are not optional, but corduroy can be substituted for tweed.
2. there are three options missing: i)black turtleneck and beret (beats and french philosophers only) ii)vomit and wine stained postal uniform (Charles Bukowski only) iii) whatever clothes I slept in the night before in my drafty, unheated garrett.
Yo Rev - I agree, you can't go wrong with a beret
- particularly for art-show openings, readings and any gathering where the women have long, long hair and wear black leotards.
Some good ritin' there, Sonny. May I misquote you?
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