Comments | whipchick: That Writer

whipchick

That Writer

Mar 11, 2016 15:42

That Writer. Every writing group or class has one. The person who talks too much. Who comes in stoned, or just high on life. Who interrupts the teacher we’ve all paid big bucks/gone through a tedious application process to hear. Who comments as if they themselves are the teacher. Who says things like “Well, you know what Flannery O’Connor said” as ( Read more... )

meta meta, write better, ljidol, humor, team avocado, let the insanity begin, non-fiction

Comments 23

drwex March 11 2016, 20:55:42 UTC

You mean you don't have a version of That Writer bingo?

Once upon a time I was in a writing workshop where we all sat in a circle and That Writer was on my left. On the lunch break I was chatting with other students and couldn't remember That Writer's name so instead I made a violent punching motion to my left. Everyone knew who I meant.

whipchick March 12 2016, 02:22:24 UTC

Ahahaha! Not in class, but I've definitely played Student Reading Bingo, including squares for 'breathy poet voice,' 'thanks every student in workshop,' and 'child abuse.'

Your gesture makes me laugh and laugh....

notodette March 11 2016, 21:33:03 UTC

"lol"

--Nietsche

whipchick March 12 2016, 02:23:00 UTC

I was to exchange anguished smileys with you.

kickthehobbit March 12 2016, 00:12:35 UTC

OH GOD. YES.

We had one of these in the first fiction-writing workshop I ever participated in. We called him "hipster scarf douche".

This is a perfect description of him.

whipchick March 12 2016, 02:23:35 UTC

You know, just that name and I can SEE him. And sadly, hear him, too.

favoritebean March 12 2016, 02:32:12 UTC

Oh, this makes me want to enroll in a writers workshop again. I know I could benefit from it.

Of all of the questions you asked, I'm definitely guilty of the hangnail bit. Oops.

whipchick March 13 2016, 20:48:17 UTC

I totally sometimes trim off my cuticles in class!!! And I love workshop - even when we're all at different levels, everyone's got something they notice that no-one else does :)

porn_this_way March 12 2016, 02:55:28 UTC

I've never even been in a writer workshop, and I want to punch this hypothetical person! But damn this had me LMAO.

Have you come to a class where the guideline is five pages and indicated that your twelve pages of 10-point sans-serif is “really a pretty quick read”? Is there an explicit sex scene on page 9? Does it have anal? Do you need to discuss how anal sex symbolically represents your relationship with the patriarchy/your creative muse/your mother?

I...just...I am laughing so hard but wincing OMG because this SAME DAMN SHIT happens in all sorts of creative fandom comms and it's just like - mofo, PLEASE. You're writing dirty fanfic about Mulder and Scully screwing on Skinner's desk. It is not some complicated allegory for the corruption of the American government and its metaphorical role in screwing people.

anyonesghost March 12 2016, 13:08:39 UTC

I read that as "Mulder and Sculley screwing Skinner." I think that's because of my relationship to the patriarchy. Excuse me: phallicocracy.

porn_this_way March 13 2016, 02:49:05 UTC

Hahahahaha. Well, there are those fanfics too...
(And seriously. SERIOUSLY. Phallicocracy...it is now my goal to take that word and *ahem* slip it in whenever I can.)

anyonesghost March 13 2016, 03:26:40 UTC

Don't worry, those opportunities pop up all the time. Whether you want them to or not.

(And if I contributed anything to this mini season, I figure I could do worse than a useful new word!)