tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post6558149503075802728..comments2024-03-28T23:20:45.447-04:00Comments on Girlfriends Book Club: Why I Write...(and a literary contest to boot) by Leslie LangtryWriter Wenchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16730769794553260336noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-56623840312649333862010-10-29T08:58:26.727-04:002010-10-29T08:58:26.727-04:00Love this... once at a booksigning a hipster asked...Love this... once at a booksigning a hipster asked me if I felt like I'd "sold out" because I wrote a commercial novel. I felt like answering, "It must be a luxury to get to sit in a cafe, smoking clove cigarettes and waiting for the muse to wander over and join you - but I've got deadlines and three kids who occasionally like to eat!"Writing doesn't have to be torture - and I'm with you on the chicken suit!sarah pekkanenhttp://www.sarahpekkanen.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-91433388204132177662010-10-28T15:01:35.447-04:002010-10-28T15:01:35.447-04:00Someone beat me to it, but... James Joyce! Funnily...Someone beat me to it, but... James Joyce! Funnily enough I studied Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man for my MFA. I always thought he was over dramatic though.Jessiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13451821966925272348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-33718879570027177002010-10-28T14:51:37.793-04:002010-10-28T14:51:37.793-04:00Lisa - What a great job! And I do wonder what it ...Lisa - What a great job! And I do wonder what it would be like to just sit and watch sitcoms all night. To just "clock out."<br /><br />Rochelle - you definitely have to be nuts!Leslie Langtryhttp://www.leslielangtry.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-72610967456817384652010-10-28T14:37:37.150-04:002010-10-28T14:37:37.150-04:00A chicken suit! I'd do it.
I write for the fun...A chicken suit! I'd do it.<br />I write for the fun, money, challenge, and 24-hour psychotherapy. You have to be a little nuts (right?) but quickly find out how to use the neurosis to your advantage.Rochelle Staabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08700362801884548978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-8808530386454616712010-10-28T11:48:54.426-04:002010-10-28T11:48:54.426-04:00I pretty much write because it's one of the on...I pretty much write because it's one of the only things I'm good at (so my career options are limited). I work as a professional greeting card writer and editor, and, yeah, sometimes it seems like selling out, but I also feel incredibly lucky that I get to make my living from the written word because a lot of people would love to have a day job like mine :)<br /><br />As far as books or essays... I write them because they're fun or I think I can write something good. It would be a lot easier not to write and just sit around all day :)Lisa Galekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02438927319122874125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-73832333721895417452010-10-28T11:24:19.141-04:002010-10-28T11:24:19.141-04:00I started writing when I realized that my notes to...I started writing when I realized that my notes to the teacher were hilarious and full of made up stories and I thought, hmmm, is there a career in this?<br /><br />Loved the post Leslie... and of course you are right. Books are a business. We write for ourselves but we publish for others.<br /><br />Continued good luck.Saralee Rosenbergnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-70494553252982578392010-10-28T10:42:17.920-04:002010-10-28T10:42:17.920-04:00You know, I always wanted a chicken suit. I may h...You know, I always wanted a chicken suit. I may have to look into getting one...Leslie Langtryhttp://www.leslielangtry.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-55332421885376127442010-10-28T10:37:44.415-04:002010-10-28T10:37:44.415-04:00That picture is awesome, but one of you in a chick...That picture is awesome, but one of you in a chicken suit would be even better. With the rose in the beak, of course.<br /><br />I write because it's fun and because I can make money doing it. I'm not insane, I'm keeping the day job, but a little ancillary income would be nice.<br /><br />Those quotes sound they're from method actors instead of writers. So maybe method writers?Terri Osburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17176989488447450585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-31673941876396252392010-10-28T10:31:29.465-04:002010-10-28T10:31:29.465-04:00I'll check it out Rachel! Isn't writing f...I'll check it out Rachel! Isn't writing fun? I mean, you can kill people and not go to jail!Leslie Langtryhttp://www.leslielangtry.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-34333009938941687742010-10-28T10:01:22.651-04:002010-10-28T10:01:22.651-04:00I write because I have no other skills:)
LOVE the ...I write because I have no other skills:)<br />LOVE the photo!Karin Gillespiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526466399023966816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-31606291703735668972010-10-28T09:49:55.522-04:002010-10-28T09:49:55.522-04:00I tackled this myself on my blog. I love how we a...I tackled this myself on my blog. I love how we all write for different reasons but are united in the fact that we simply love to do it. :-) if you are interested to see why I write, you can visit me here: http://theendingunplanned.blogspot.com/2010/10/truthful-tuesday-why-im-writing.htmlRachel Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02711443001167188505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-26146424920461001782010-10-28T09:41:15.935-04:002010-10-28T09:41:15.935-04:00I thought the open a vein line was Truman Capote&#...I thought the open a vein line was Truman Capote's.Pamela Tolernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-47992380939708140882010-10-28T09:32:53.989-04:002010-10-28T09:32:53.989-04:00Didn't Woody Allen say the first one?Didn't Woody Allen say the first one?Lauren Baratz-Logstedhttp://www.laurenbaratzlogsted.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-65280267515803839792010-10-28T08:38:15.687-04:002010-10-28T08:38:15.687-04:00Those quotes are awesome. If anyone ever said any...Those quotes are awesome. If anyone ever said anything like that to me, I'd just laugh.<br /><br />I write because I love telling stories. And Judy, I have to agree with you: clearly I have control issues. :)Brenda Janowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02341902606434073240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-78186341974463678112010-10-28T08:30:18.180-04:002010-10-28T08:30:18.180-04:00I thought the vein one was Hemingway. Pat Conroy ...I thought the vein one was Hemingway. Pat Conroy said something like that too. But that whole "smithy of my soul" thing? No clue.<br /><br />I write because . . . I like to work in my jammies? I like to control people way too much and my own family kinda rebels?<br /><br />Great post, Leslie!Judy Merrill Larsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06675069484490433295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-53232247748826490962010-10-28T08:21:03.714-04:002010-10-28T08:21:03.714-04:00Leslie, you're too funny!
I write because I l...Leslie, you're too funny!<br /><br />I write because I love doing it. I love reading stories and I love making them up. The fact that I get paid to do it, is a big fat cherry on top ;)Maria Geracihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02296473703226019932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-91427415632801517182010-10-28T08:13:19.444-04:002010-10-28T08:13:19.444-04:00You guys are good! I forgot about the Hemingway q...You guys are good! I forgot about the Hemingway quote! Love Papa Hemingway!Leslie Langtryhttp://www.leslielangtry.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-39024885628716284502010-10-28T06:31:50.926-04:002010-10-28T06:31:50.926-04:00I'm pretty sure Ernest Hemingway said somethin...I'm pretty sure Ernest Hemingway said something like, "It's easy to write, all you have to do is sit down at the typewriter and bleed", but I don't know if he said the vein thing.<br /><br />I really enjoyed your post. It was delightfully honest!Jill Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16336227232690745889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-19777559576118938612010-10-27T21:40:45.017-04:002010-10-27T21:40:45.017-04:00"To forge in the smithy of my soul, the uncre..."To forge in the smithy of my soul, the uncreated consciousness of my race."<br /><br />James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man"<br />(it's on my list of books to read on my nook when B&N starts offering free classics again)<br /><br />SLWsuzthejewelerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15515401984697079408noreply@blogger.com