“What do you do?” That’s the question I dread, especially at those author cocktail parties where you’re supposed to network.
Notice, the question’s rarely, “How do you do? ” but , what . That’s when I try not to stutter, or drop my prop of a wine glass. For, as we writers know, the question is really what do we write about and I find it impossible to define that.
How can I explain in a one-minute encounter that my books range from bereavement to Bible? Or that my short stories include an indescribable variety of situations women cope with? And my articles range …well, you get the idea.
I did try getting attention from an assured woman who boasted that she writes chick lit by telling her that my latest short story is about a mother whose child is kidnapped. Shuddering she retorted, ”What made you write about that?” Then hurried on to the next prospect without waiting for my answer.
A friend advised me to say that I “cover the waterfront,” assuring me it’s a stock phrase for diversity. So at the next literary gathering, I answered the usual question by telling a man, ”I sort of cover the waterfront.”
“Water sports sell these days,” he said.
Left alone in that crowd I overheard a woman tossing off a blithe, “I’m a generalist.”
When I tried out that word I felt so military, I expected to be saluted.
Recently I was interviewed by British blogger Morgen Bailey, who wanted toknow whether I ‘m a fiction or non-fiction author. When I said I straddle both sides, she listed me as “multi-genre.”
Now there’s an impressive phrase! But when I rehearsed it in private I had trouble with the “r” – should it be pronounced or ignored?
Surely I’d get good advice from my articulate nephew, Benjamin Kassoy. At the awesome age of 24 he’s already co-authored two books. I asked him how he answers that inevitable networking question. He told me that, as I know, he loves to talk. He also loves to write. But his twin loves fail to join forces when asked what he writes. “I let my writing do the talking,” he confides.
I’ve now decided that the next time I’m asked what I write, I’ll say, ”Words.”
Who’s listening anyway?
[Anyone with a savvy reply is welcome to share on my blog.]
WEBSITE: annehosansky.com
BOOKS:
“Widow’s Walk,” available through iUniverse.com; “Turning Toward Tomorrow,” available through xLibris; “Ten Women of Valor,” available through CreateSpace.com and Amazon. Also available for Amazon Kindle.
some great ideas here…http://www.geriquest.com
nice post! i have read your article and it is really amazing.http://www.cartaodebanco.com
keep informed and read a lot and you will be always writing awesome articles like this one. just an advice.http://www.expectaculo.com
this blog is definitely an example of a huge help for me since i am just starting a blog myself.http://www.extratordetelefone.org
thanks for the article…very nice and interesting keep posting more…http://www.wigoblog.com
thanks for this information.http://www.descontoaocubo.net
thanks for posting, please keep doing it.http://www.paredesdecoradas.org
what a fabulous post this has been. never seen this kind of useful post. i am grateful to you and expect more number of posts like these. thank you very much.http://www.accolor.com
i visit your website everyday and i read all of your articles.http://www.creditocartao.net
your words are like advice for me, i loved your post.http://www.maritimasaude.com
good one keep posting more…http://www.editel.org
so nice post.http://www.guiadenegocio.org
anne-otations.me is wonderful. There’s always all of the ideal info in the ideas of my fingers. Thanks and keep up the excellent work!
i didn’t even see something like this before because of the scarcity of this type of information.http://www.papajogosmario.com
Four score and seven minutes ago, I read a sweet arctile. Lol thanks
Superior thinking dmeonsrtated above. Thanks!
My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was entirely right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
Hi, Great transmit, give you, i like your treatise also!