I wanna rock!
Okay, I stole that line from an 80's hair band (Twisted Sister, maybe?? Man, I'm old...).
In chatting with my writer friend Christy Raedeke today, I got to seriously thinking about what I really want to do with my life. My writing life, that is. Christy recently landed a fantastic 2-book deal with a fantastic editor at a fantastic publishing house. When I hear news like this my immediate response is always pure excitement for my deserving friend, and then fantasies about what that day will feel like for me when I finally get "the call".
Usually those fantasies begin and end with me getting the contract, throwing a launch party on P. Diddy's yacht, and sipping champagne with Brad Pitt and George Clooney. I've never really thought too far beyond that. But, today, I started really thinking about who I want to be as a writer. Some types I'm considering:
The J.D. Salinger: reclusive, mysterious, one-classic-wonder
The Ellen Hopkins: passionate edgy genre master
The Gordon Korman: flawless genre-jumper
The Dave Eggers: independent, shuns money and media, writes only what he loves
The Jodi Piccult: prolific, "issue-oriented"
The John Grisham: perpetual bestseller, unable to write a flop
The Nicholas Sparks: love, love, love, sap, sap, sap, but in a good way
The Cormack McCarthy: Downer-Debbie, and a bit disturbed, but a genius!
The Greg Trine: funny, funny, lighthearted, and always funny
The John Green: award winner
The Stephanie Meyer: dazzling storyteller, "gets" teens
The Earnest Hemingway: massively influential writing style, wrote "autobiographically"
The Harper Lee: one brilliant piece of work was enough!
The Bruce Coville: creative, hilarious, humble, master entertainer, loves his job
The Jerry Spinelli: champion of the underdog kid
The Walter Dean Myers: tireless researcher, tackles tough subjects regardless of commercial appeal
The JK Rowling: no explanation necessary
It's hard to pin down which type of writing career would make me the happiest. Bottom line is that I want to write good, meaningful, entertaining, fascinating, brilliant, bestselling books that don't cave to trends, yet will speak to youth of today and youth 100 years from now. I'm thinking some kind of
SalHopKorEggPicGrishSparkMcTrineGreeMeyHemLeeCovSpinWDMRow combo might work for me.
I'm curious, though. Do any of our other writer friends out there have an ideal writer type you shoot for? And does anyone aspire to be The Valerie Bertinelli or the Pamela Anderson? Just wondering.
- Eve
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10 comments:
Eve,
How 'bout The Anderson Combo: Part Pam, part Laura Halse?
Um, LaurIE.
That would be LAURIE.
Eve, based on your hilariously exaggerated statement about me, I'd say you're clearly The David Sedaris...
I don't really care, as long as I'm invited on that yacht...hello, Brad and George!!!
Oh, Kimberly, EVERYBODY is invited to THAT party. If I've made eye contact with you or read your blog or even heard your name, you're on the guest list. Brad and George are organizing it for me...isn't that sweet?
Christy...funny! If I had to label you and Jennie, you'd be The John Stewart and The Stephen Colbert. That's how funny you two are.
Jennie...hmm, I like that. The Pamelaurie Anderson. Could work.
Eve
What about Dan Kennedy - no real plan to be a writer, but who is really frick'n funny when writing about his own experiences? You have PLENTY of material for something like that. Lamy
I'd like to have a nice solid career like Sarah Dessen.
I would also like to be Pam. Not Anderson though. The one from the office. :)
Second the motion on just get me on the yacht.
I want to be a brilliant combination of SusanCooper/MadelieneL'Engle/TamoraPierce kind've writer.
And Jude Law (as in The Holiday xnae Alfie)and Adam Brody are on my fantasy yacht. :]
Yes! Jude Law is so totally invited to the yacht party.
And Christian Bale. And that dude from the Henry VIII movie, who also played the first Hulk. And Lance Armstrong. And John Stewart. And Blair Underwood. And Vince Vaughn.
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