This week’s Marketing for Romance Writer’s 52-week blog topic is entitled My Bad Habits. I could list the usual things like not exercising enough, cheating on my diet or one of the many others things I’m constantly trying to change or improve—but I won’t bore you with that. Instead I’m going to talk about a few bad habits that non-writers might notice and wish that some writers (looks over shoulder) would realize creeps out non-writer-ly folk.
I have a confession. Most of us writers already know about these bad habits and we’re not going to stop—because we can’t.
When I began actively pursuing writing and obsessively studying the craft something changed in my brain. I began to think and act differently. It was almost as if my mind and thoughts were rewired. A few might even suggest some of these odd habits of mine were akin to that of a vampire. That’s without the drinking of blood, of course—unless it’s disguised in a cabernet bottle.
Forgetting to Blink
Once I let my imagination take the wheel, sometimes it forgets to relinquish it to me if it travels down the path of a story. That’s fine…for
me. I’m harvesting fresh shiny ideas for my next story, or absorbing my characters comments and actions.
It’s not always as fine for anyone else. They only observe the staring off into nothing unblinking creepy-deek stare reminiscent of the kid chanting redrum.
I’m pretty sure vampires have been known to stare with dead, unblinking eyes. Don’t be so quick to judge. Perhaps they were just writing a story.
Losing Track of Time
Like an immortal, sparkly being that can live forever, I’ve been known to sit in front of the keyboard without noting the passage of time. 
Hours pass without my knowledge as I purge the prose from my thoughts. Although unlike vampires, I do occasionally need nourishment and I don’t have the benefit of a resilient back.
It often appears as if I’ve wasted the day and neglected household tasks that rank higher in priority to the non-writerly folk in my family. Apparently they require sustenance as well.
Lack of Sunlight
Just because I share the same pasty white skin lacking a kiss of sunlight and embrace solitude doesn’t mean I’m a vampire. Suggesting that possibility might come in handy when I’m trying to avoid social gatherings or someone suggests I leave my writing before the sun has set.
Sinking My Teeth into a Movie
Ever since the #writer rewiring, I can no longer watch a movie like a normal person. Share on XTherefore, I feel it’s my duty to share my observations with other non-writerly folk unfortunate enough to be my friends and family watching a movie with me.
I dissect the scenes with a gnashing of teeth if they don’t develop enough empathy for the main character. I shred the murder scene as I announce that the character is definitely TSTL (too stupid to live).
Awkward Promotion
Like a vamp forced to leave her castle before sundown, I awkwardly stumble through efforts at promotion.
Either dumping the details and fleeing as abruptly as a vampire disappears, or choking out the book blurb like a pint of chilled blood.
What Bad Habits Drive You Crazy?
Check out the bad habits of the other authors in the blog hop. Don’t worry, they won’t bite.
But you never know…I might.
I’ve tried to keep my mouth shut during movies, but it doesn’t help. Now my kids can tell by the way I shift position–silently–when something happens that I’ve figured out the end of the movie or–another shift–just been irritated to the gills by bad writing. It’s really not our fault. Really!
It’s not just movies, television is where my mouth opens. Either giving away what’s coming next, groaning because I can tell or the ultimate thing I’m trying to stop, telling why what’s coming isn’t realistic. But it’s not my fault. That’s my line and I’m keeping to it.
I never put writers and vampires together, but I can totally see your point, lol. Great post!
Although I get lost in writing, I usually leave the comments to my computer professional husband who seems to find everything wrong with a plot line usually before I do! Great post!
LOL. Just last night, #2 son and I watched a movie on Netflix. Several times I broke his concentration to point out a plot hole or inconsistent character motivation. I’m sure he appreciated the instruction, though. (Well, not really.)
ROFL, Maureen. I’m with you on the blank stare (I’ve been doing that for a while) and the pasty skin. I, too, could pass for a vampire. And the whole TV watching thing. When my DH was alive, we critiqued the shows we watched. As a former scientist, he was looking for scientific and technological errors, while I was paying attention to plot points. Sometimes I’d point to something and say, “that’s important” and it would be the clue to solving the mystery. Sometimes he looked at me in exasperation. “How did you figure that out?” My answer was “I think like a writer.” Fun times.
Great post, Maureen! At our house, it’s my husband pointing out how everything will end. And poor guy, I dragged him off kicking and screaming to a Regency ball because I needed to know just how all of that worked!
The losing track of time thing is real, only in my case it’s when I am procrastinating and end up on social media for way longer than I intended.
Promotions, yeah I don’t know how to do that part either. Something I should learn.
The losing track of time thing is real, only in my case it’s when I am procrastinating and end up on social media for way longer than I intended.
Promotions, yeah I don’t know how to do that part either. Something I should learn.