Writer Quirks and Community

The first Monday of every month is inspirational Monday. Share something that inspires you so it can inspire the rest of us.  This, while I hope it is inspiring, is not my post for the month.

Today I'd like to share a blog post I read the other day, "How To Know You're A Writer". It was one of those 'quirk lists' that one can find in many places on the Internet and while most of them are simply a moment's amusement this one stuck with me.

It spoke of how writers bring notepads everywhere in case they're struck with inspiration or internally correct the grammar of others. Without thinking about it I've been doing all those things. It was like this 'community thing' where only another writer could understand that sort of thing on an emotional level. More than 'How to Know You're A Writer' but how to know you are a writer. Writers could recognize each other by the books under their arms.

"DREAMS ARE PLOT-FODDER AND STORY-FODDER."
Is one of my two favorites because it's true.  Whenever I'm fortunate enough to remember a dream, and awake enough to get up and write it down, my first thought is not 'how weird was that'? but 'how can I use this in a book?' Dreaming is fishing in primordial soup. There's some great stuff in there if you can find it and write it down before it vanishes like so much smoke

"YOUR FOOD GROUPS ARE TEA, COFFEE, ESPRESSO, AND CHOCOLATE."
My second favorite. While I don't drink coffee I do drink Five Hour Energy and Gatorade and this new Neuro Sonic stuff.  Whatever it is, writers need their fuel. Again, a community thing. Sharing food and drink is perhaps the oldest social ritual we have. I imagine writing groups go through a lot of the stuff.


Speaking of writer community, the author of the "How To Know You're A Writer" post started NaNoWriMo today. She could use a little inspiration.