Suddenly everywhere I go, the question du jour seems to be, "What do you do?"
Not an unreasonable query, but I'm finding it difficult to answer without a lengthy explanation. Can I say I'm a writer if I haven't been paid for my fiction (even if I have been a paid for writing for other people in various past jobs)? I'm a little uncomfortable with that. I am a writer, and I do write, but in the U.S., when we say "do" we mean "get paid for right now".
Sometimes I say I'm retired. However, at my age, that answer garners disbelief and a dogged repetition of the question.
I'm thinking of saying I'm a professional alcoholic. Don't want to offend anyone, though.
I've considered saying I'm a telecommuting fluffer, since my husband recently told me what that means. However, not everyone may get the joke, and I don't want to give the wrong impression. (Ummm, come to think of it, I may have already given the wrong impression... I swear, I'm only kidding!)
I've also considered saying "I'm a stay-at-home". People will no doubt supply the "mom" that usually completes the phrase, and that's a bit of a fib too. I'm mother only to my animals, and not always a great mom to them.
Maybe I'll just say I'm on a Gibson Writing Fellowship. Those that know my hubby will get it. Those that don't may be suitably impressed.
12.11.2008
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3 comments:
Go with the Gibson Writing Fellowship - sounds impressive as hell - then leaves you open to discuss your writing. Remember, what you do is NOT who you are!
Thanks, Bob! You're so right :)
I agree with Bob...I think the Gibson Writing Fellowship sounds great.
And I'd like to agree on the second point, too. That question drives me CRAZY because in America, it's how we determine value. You answer the question, and the person asking it gets to decide what rung of society they think you deserve based on what you say.
I've got an issue with that. Who people are is a little more complicated and about a thousand times more interesting than one or two words describing how you make a living.
I read a statistic the other day...something like 85 % of people don't like what they do for a living and don't feel it matches who they are. Kinda funny if you think about how quickly everyone comes to an opinion of you...when the stats show that the person *asking* the question would probably be indignant if someone used it to define them.
Myself, I see writing as nobility, You bring a mastery and beauty to the craft that is so enjoyable to experience...and so important.
And if anyone else says otherwise, well, clearly they ain't in your IQ bracket.
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