The nine main stereotypes of writers

When most people picture a writer they imagine an intelligent but crazy bohemian hermit who spends their days addicted to caffeine in all its forms and dreaming up fantastical worlds and despicable murders.  It may shock some people to learn that some writers may enjoy going to the beach, love the sun, prefer to be outdoors, and actually, NO, they don’t know a single thing about how a computer works, but if you need help with anything Microsoft word related – well you’re in luck!

1. Writers are computer whizzes – No mother, I am NOT A COMPUTER WHIZ. I’ve been slaving away on my laptop for years because I enjoy writing (and netflix), not because I like computer programs and learning how to connect a laptop to wi-fi. Please stop asking me for help because I don’t know (OK I do, but that’s beside the point).

cat-computer

 

2. Writers are poor hippie drifters – you know the image, floating through life with no real direction, living a frugal bohemian lifestyle due to lack of funds (or living off an allowance from your S.O’s income). Well this stereotype is well deserved. I think most writers ARE poor. And if they’re not they are either delusional, have a second job OR they are that 0.01% who are famous and get six figure book deals.

waiting cat

 

3. Published writers are rich & famous – I really don’t understand the ‘rich & famous’ stereotype, but it exists because most people don’t realise that while many authors can be famous, they might not actually make much money from their novels (they may even have a day job). I can’t even tell you how many friends and family have said: “oh, I bet you’ll be the next J.K.Rowling.” What are you talking about? There’s no betting in this. Yes, of course I’ll be the next J.K.

 rich-cat

 

4. Writers are crazy loners – and not only that, they are depressed, overly emotional, introverted hermits who rant and rave about all the injustices in this world. There are so many reasons why this stereotype exists – and I have to say they are all good cause for alarm. For example, all you have to do is take one quick look at what fiction writers are dreaming up, and you’ll know why. Stephen King’s The Shining is a pretty good example.

cat plotting

 

5. Writer’s love to drink coffee & eat chocolate – so this point also includes drinking red wine and smoking (I couldn’t possibly have ten stereotypes in this blog post. Cats only have nine lives after all.) Personally I’m a huge fan of red wine – it conjures up an image of a moody & interesting writer with a lot on her mind. Chocolate conjures up an image of a befuddled writer avoiding writer’s block – and yes I know, some of you are tea drinkers.

cat-and-coffee-o

 

6. Writers suffer writer’s block ALL THE TIME – well if we stopped complaining, maybe this stereotype wouldn’t exist. PUT THAT BLOODY PIECE OF CHOCOLATE DOWN AND WRITE. Some (smart) writer’s like to hide their writer’s block under a veil of industriousness until they can overcome said hurdle. But whether you call it laziness, boredom, fear, procrastination or an undisciplined nature, we all suffer from it from time to time.

turkey-coma1

 

7. Writers are night owls – ever heard how writers can stay up until 3am writing? Yes it’s true. I really can’t contest this one. And if someone says they are an ‘early riser writer’ and not a night owl… well that’s a load of bullshit. 5am is  NIGHT TIME. I don’t care if you think you’re getting up an hour before the kids to get some writing in. 5am is the middle of the night.

Kitten-falls-asleep-standing

 

8. Writers can write anything – my friends constantly pick me up if I even dare spell a word wrong (auto correct doesn’t exist for writers) and they expect me to be able to write anything. But no, just because I’m a fiction writer does not mean I can write any form of poetry, literary journal articles, grant proposals, reviews, advertisements or media speeches. If you want to know about the three-act structure or how to incorrectly plot a novel – I’m your girl! But if you ask me about stanzas, alliteration or haiku – well I really have no fucking clue, please don’t ask.

confused-gif-1

 

9. Writers own cats – I’m guilty of this one. On the surface I only have one cat (which is perfectly normal), but if you count my childhood cat who is still alive, and this cat that three friends and I bought while at university… well, it means I technically own three. So yeah, this stereotype is true. And if you’re a writer who owns a dog – I salute you for shouldering this burden along with us (like when Canadians get mistaken for Americans or Kiwis get mistaken for Aussies or South Africans get mistaken for… Swedes?) If you’re a champ like me and have both a dog and a cat… how on earth do you get through all those fights?

cat attacking dog

P.s this is my last post until January, so Merry Christmas!!

Gifs sourced from: hilariousgifs.com, 4gifs.com, gifak.net, catgifs.org, seenorgif.com

101 thoughts

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  6. Hi Milly,
    Thanks for stopping by at my blog and consider it worthy of following. I have six followers today on the second day of my writing blog. I don’t know how it will work ahead. 🙂 Out of your stereotypes, I’m guilty of quite a few; cats, late nights, chocolates (yes please, but dark ones) and writers block.

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  9. This post was so cute! Loved all the cat gifs ^.^

    Also, I find it funny that most people think you’re a poor writer, or a rich writer. Like there is nothing in between those two :-p

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  11. I noticed that you followed my blog yesterday and I’m excited because this is the second blog post I’ve read of yours and I’m already hooked. I laughed entirely too much XD

    You have a fan 😀
    PS: I love wine, chocolate, and tea XD
    PPS: I wish I had a kitteh!

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  12. Pingback: How did I grow my blog? – Milly Schmidt

  14. I love coffee, chocolate and alone time. But I also happen to be a gregarious fellow who can be quite the social butterfly. I also happen to have a cat, even though I volunteer my time with rescue dogs. And while I have written on a great many things, I do so love to simply rant. Ranting is a favorite topic, in fact.

    What I’m trying to say is, us writers ain’t got one way of doing things. Well . . you definitely said it better.

    Great post!

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  16. Oh, that was pretty funny!
    I say that I fit into some of those stereotypical categories. There is truth in every myth, after-all.
    A few of your blog posts contain a list of NINE things. That had me wondering. I am so happy that I found the answer to this fascinating issue in this post. I would not be able to sleep tonight otherwise, so thank you!

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  23. Pingback: ReBlog – The nine main stereotypes of writers – with cats – The Cat’s Write | Brickley Jules Writes

  25. Fine piece of work.
    I’ll like to share as to what I’m guilty of and think regarding your stereotypes:
    1. I am a computer whiz!
    2. Hippie drifter all the way.
    3. Totally agreed with that stereotype (we all know not all published writers are rich and famous)
    4. Love being by myself (most of the time)
    5. Love to eat chocolates
    6. No writer’s block as such, the words just come when they do.
    7. Night owl since birth
    8. Do write a lot of things, but of course one can’t be good at everything
    9. Don’t own a cat now, but will try to get one soon. Love cats! 🙂

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    1. Yes!!! I absolutely loved reading your response to this!! I always wonder how many writers actually fit the stereotypes, looks like you fit quite a few of them! I’m impressed. I wish so much I could be a ‘hippie drifter’ but apparently everyone thinks I’m too ‘prim & proper’ – although I have no idea how I portray this! Oh well ☺

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  29. And yet, I look over this list and I was a poor hippie drifter until I married a Human Resources coordinator and became a less poor hippie stuck in the same house (we celebrated our 32nd anniversary so it isn’t all bad), I am a loner, I prefer to fade into the wall at parties lest someone corner me and spur me into performance mode, I take 240 mg of Cymbalta daily for depressions and the world is filled with injustice (which is about to get worse). I quit smoking but I love coffee, enjoy chocolate and red wine. I do my best writing between 2 and 5 am. I learned to write anything because Hemingway’s jounralism influenced his prose. I even wrote comedy for Esther’s Follies and a local community TV Show. Writing good poetry only improves your fiction (although not the other way around.)

    I recommend that all writers expand their boundaries to hone their special skills.

    Most of all, we rescue cats for http://www.austinsiameserescue.org. We’ve adopted out hundreds but a few refused to go and become lifers.

    I guess I was doomed to be a writer.

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    1. This is sooo funny becasue I’m actually an HR Officer myself (my wonderful day job)!! Maybe it’s why I have never been able to embrace the hippie drifter part of my soul – although I’m well adept at the poor bit!

      I’m really, really impressed that you rescue cats – if that’s not a writer then I don’t know what is hahaha

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  31. Ha, love this! I’m guilty of three: good with computers, definite night owl (do my best writing between 2-5am) and have cats. I’m not sure why we all have cats when they are the biggest single source of “writer’s block” I know of: sitting on the paper when you try to hand write, sitting on the laptop when you try to type, demanding belly rubs when you get to the exciting bits of the scene…

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  33. I love this blog post and the gifs you used! I admit I’m guilty of thinking about writers in a stereotype way too. I have a cat but I’m not a writer and I think she’s happy with that because she already doesn’t like my blogging too much so if I was to write even more, she’d definitely kill me :-).

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  36. Great post and many true statements. I have written on and off since I was a young boy. Love points 4 and 5, I love cats and coffee of course! Thanks for the follow and look forward to future posts. I will try to do my best to provide encouragement.

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  42. How about, “Writers are grouchy old men who can’t get along with store clerks.” Oh, wait: I prove that one daily. OK, I’ve got it… “Writers always get pages and pages of comments on their blog posts.”

    Way to perpetuate the last one, Millie!

    I’ve got to know: are any of the cats in your GIFs yours?

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  43. *looks suspicious* Have you been spying on me? Because that first paragraph pretty much described me perfectly! hehe I guess us writers are hopeless…
    Have a happy new year!
    Meno<3
    PS. I also haven't a clue about Haiku, I think I used to know.

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  44. Embarrassingly enough…most of these ring true for me…

    I don’t necessarily believe writer’s block in a thing. I prefer procrastination. It’s not that I don’t know what to write as much as I tend to avoid writing it because it might be challenging.

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  63. I actually do love coffee, wine, and very dark chocolate. And the only reason I don’t own a cat is because pets aren’t allowed in my rental agreement.
    But as for computer skills? If google can’t answer my question, I go running to my techy friends.

    Love your work.

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  69. I can edit during the day, proofread during the day, scratch out a few notes or paragraphs during the day, but the only time to write is at night with the light off, Carol asleep beside me, my keyboard backlit and the cats finally settled down somewhere out of sight.

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  70. Reblogged this on Wind Eggs and commented:
    True fact: Some writers don’t have any pets, although they’re denying themselves a lot of love, a great source of material, and the opportunity to clean up vomit and have their most prized possessions destroyed.

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  81. I’ve never related so much to a post before. This was wonderful, and the cat gifs made my day. Merry christmas to you too!

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