Begin rant:
I imagine every profession has this problem. As soon as someone finds out what you do they immediately try to figure out how to use that or how they relate to your work. Sometimes it’s funny and entertaining. People will find out I have written full length books and they will talk about the times they tried to write. Most seemed to realize they only had the content in their minds for a chapter or two, not a whole book. These are totally fine…
There are the ones that then ask you to proof-read something for them. This I also don’t mind too much. I remind them I pay an editor to fix my writing so that doesn’t speak too highly of my perfectionist standards for English.
The ones that baffle me are the “Listen to my idea” people. The conversation goes something like this…
Them: “So you write?”
Me: “Yep. Fiction, anything from political thriller to pop culture comedy, but I really love sci-fi.”
Them: “So I have this book idea you should do something with…”
Me: “…”
They then explain their plot, usually something very similar to the summer blockbuster but with about three main details changed.
Then the stare. They look at me like I should be getting out a contract or a checkbook to pay them for this idea.
Let me be clear I believe everyone has ideas that would make for a great read, but as a writer that doesn’t mean I actually want to hear your idea for a Zombie slasher on mars. That’s what your family and friends are for. I have pitched plenty of bad ideas to the family only to be brought back to Earth and reminded how outlandish some of my ideas are. I think it’s the writer version of what nurses go through when people show them their ‘weird’ growths without any prompting.
The moral of the story is this; whatever someone’s profession or job is, that isn’t what defines them. Don’t box them in and make them BE what they DO.
-kurt
