Top 10 Myths About Writers
HelloOoOo everybody!
Let's talk about writing myths, shall we? There are lots of generalizations floating around about the writing community, and it puzzles me. You know we're not all exactly the same, right? But apparently people have some really interesting stereotypes about us. So let's dissect the stereotypes—not the people, just to be clear.
This topic is dedicated to one of my patrons over on Patreon, Chris Karlyle. Chris wanted to hear the misconceptions regular old civilians have about us writerly folks, so I'm here to break down the top ten myths about writers.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to also subscribe to my YouTube channel for more writing tips, sarcasm, and of course, more of Princess Butters!
Number 1: “You Just Can’t Make a Living as a Writer”
This might be the dumbest myth on the list, because there is so much evidence that suggests otherwise. Yes, it's very hard to make writing a career. There's a lot of competition, lots of struggle, and even if you surpass all of that, you still might not make it. But that doesn't mean it's impossible. There are authors everywhere who are living off their writing. There are tons of hurdles to mount before making writing a full-time job. But hurdles are not walls; just because something's difficult doesn't mean it's hopeless.
Number 2: “All Writers Are Shy, Timid, Introverts”
Let me start off by saying yes, a lot of writers are introverts, and yes, I'm one of them. But not all introverts are quiet, withering flowers. Being introverted simply means you gain your energy from being alone. You need your own time to recharge. This describes me perfectly, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm loud, blunt, and talkative, and believe it or not, some writers are ambiverts and extroverts. They do exist, I promise.
Number 3: “You Gotta Be a Tortured Artist To Produce Quality Writing”
There is a stereotype that many creatives suffer from mental illness, and that might be kinda true. But having a mental illness doesn't mean you have to suffer, and it certainly doesn't mean you have to be tortured in order to write a good book. I get to some degree where this myth comes from: people who have endured great hardship tend to be more empathetic, and empathy is pivotal to creating compelling art.
But have you tried writing a book in the thick of depression? It's a nightmare. And worse, this myth prevents people from seeking treatment. There are lots of creatives who are afraid to pursue therapy or medication because they think it'll kill their creativity. But I’ve been medicated for a while, and my creativity hasn't changed at all. Plus, I'm happier, more productive, more successful, and I don't wanna die, which is nice.
Number 4: “Every Author’s Goal Is a Movie Deal”
The benefit of a movie deal is obvious: money. You're set for life. But this myth’s pretty stupid, because it overlooks basic common sense. If this person is hoping to create a movie, wouldn’t they become a screenwriter as opposed to a novelist? Thinking is hard. And yeah, some authors dream of a movie deal, but others really couldn't give a shit. Because if a movie was their number one priority, they would just write one. Logic.
Number 5: “Piss Off a Writer, and You’ll Die in Their Book”
This is something I hear a lot of people saying, mostly within beginner and amateur writing circles. I'm not saying it never happens. I'm just saying I don't know any professional authors who actually do this. Creating a character takes work, and killing a character typically serves a plot-related purpose. Who's gonna go through all this trouble just because someone hurt their feelings? On top of that, being written into a novel is an honor, even if you’re being killed off. That means this person matters to you in some way so much that you decided to immortalize them. It's not exactly gonna stick it to the person in the way you were hoping. If anything, it'll just stroke their ego.
Number 6: “All Books Are Wish Fulfillment, and All MCs Are Self-Inserts”
This one always gets me because holy shit, have you seen the world some writers create? Who the fuck would fantasize about living in a dystopian society? Or being enslaved? Or eaten by demons? And sure, some authors do write wish fulfillment, and some MCs are self-inserts. But just because one person does it doesn't mean the rest of us are guilty too. My MC almost dies on a daily basis; I don't wanna live that life. My life is good. I stay in my PJs all day, I write stories, I got a hot fiancée. My wishes are fulfilled already, thank you very much.
Number 7: “All Successful Authors Have Rituals”
Rituals? Are we writing books or summoning Satan? Some creatives have rituals that help get them in the zone, but most of us just sit down, shut up, and write. And sometimes I'll see lists of famous authors' "rituals," and these rituals look a hell of a lot more like basic everyday life.
“He can't start writing without his cup of coffee!”
I can't even form a coherent sentence without a cup of coffee. That's not a fucking ritual, that's just survival. Look, if you gotta tug on your ear, or recite a poem, or bathe in synthetic blood before writing—that's cool. I just don't really think it's as popular as people make it out to be.
Number 8: “Everything’s a Symbol”
Or maybe the curtains are yellow, just because they're yellow. I'm an author who enjoys creating symbols and themes, and even I'm stunned when readers come to me complimenting my symbols that weren't actually symbols, or the foreshadowing that wasn't actually foreshadowing. It's great when people get invested in a story. Nothing makes me more excited than seeing people devour my books. But sometimes the pink dress isn't a symbol for female genitalia or blossoming womanhood; sometimes it's just a dress that I thought was pretty.
Number 9: “All Writers Are Jaded”
This goes hand in hand with the tortured artist. A lot of people think writers are the grown-up version of high school emo kids. We hate life, we hate people, we hate trends, we hate dogs, we hate lamps…
Don't get me wrong, I do hate people, but I actually kind of love my life. The only thing I'm bitter about is the fact that my house is out of mac and cheese, and that's not fair. I'm sure there are a bunch of jaded writers out there, but you don't gotta lump us all together.
Number 10: “All Writers Come out of the Womb Writing”
First of all, that is humanly impossible, and it would really hurt your parent’s vagina. Second, yeah, maybe some writers know they want to write at a very young age, but many don't. Not everyone has their life figured out in kindergarten. There are plenty of people who discover their passion for writing in adulthood. This doesn't make them less of a writer than someone who's been doing it for ages, and it certainly doesn't make them less talented. A writer is someone who writes; it doesn't matter if they've been doing it for two years or ten. They just gotta put their fingers on the keyboard and make the words.
So that's all I've got for you today!
A huge thank you to Chris Karlyle for requesting this topic; you are awesome. If you'd like the chance to have a video dedicated to you, or if you want access to tons of other prizes, check me out on Patreon. I got the link listed right here.
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