Stranger: So, what do you do?Me: Um, I'm an editor for English Language Teaching text books.
Stranger: Oh, that's interesting.
Me: Yep, so um ... tell me about you.
days later ...
Me: Hey, we should hook up on Facebook.
Stranger: Yeah good idea. I'll find you. Jessica Bell, right?
Me: *blank stare* Um, no, actually, you won't find me with that, it's Author Jessica Bell.
Stranger: Author?
Me: Um ... yep. *my insides are doing somersaults and my teeth are clenching*
Stranger: Are you published?
Me: Yep.
Stranger: Cool. Tell me the titles and I'm pick them up in the bookstore.
Me: Oh, um, they won't be in the bookstore, but you can find them on online.
Stranger: Online?
Me: Yep.
Stranger: *confused expression* Oh ... you're one of those authors.
Me: *tight-lipped smile* Yeah, anyway, what were you saying earlier?
That's awful. You're one of 'those' authors. You have books out there Jessica and they're great. You know I loved 'String Bridge' :-) In my mind you are an author :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy :-)
DeleteHm. Maybe it's a Greek thing. In the U.S. I don't think anyone would make that comment. We're very accustomed to purchasing things online that are not available in stores. Actually, most stores are pretty lousy in terms of selection, for everything. Not just books.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think it's probably a European thing!
DeleteI've had my own version of that conversation. If you don't have novels with title recognition people are weird about it.
ReplyDelete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI confess that I make a similar distinction in my own mind--mostly because I don't own an ereader and have no plans to get one in my lifetime--but I never mean to be derogatory about it. (I have read ebooks, but all of them were in PDF format.)
On my end, I know what it's like to feel a cringe coming on when someone asks what I do. I'm in a profession that is rife with stereotypes that I don't think really apply to me. A friend of mine could have said something similar a few years ago, too. Her boyfriend's family didn't think she had a "real job" because her graphic design business had a great online clientele and telecommuting staff, but no physical office. It wasn't until she started earning an impressive amount of money that they thought there was more to what she did than a bit of dabbling.
Hi Jess - you're definitely an author ... but I can hear that conversation - a troublesome one!!
ReplyDeleteGreat retelling ... you're doing so much from so many angles - bet they don't have that much going for them ... cheers Hilary
Thanks, Hilary.
DeleteI'd cringe to. Thankfully, I haven't had that reaction yet. Some of my friends who read a lot are totally cool with self publishing and have read other books too!
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky!
DeleteUgh! I agree with Christine's comment. Maybe it's a european thing. In France, Amazon only just started promoting their ereaders and books are still sold mainly in bookstores and chains like Virgin or the Fnac. I haven't told anybody I'm a writer in aaaages. Learned my lesson when I first started (and I don't even have anything published yet so double shame on me for saying I'm a writer. People think I'm just dellusional). They don't understand that having your book in a book store is no longer the norm for most serious authors.
ReplyDeleteThat's it. Delusional. *sigh*
DeleteOne day soon that won't happen anymore.
ReplyDeleteHaha. I hope so.
DeleteThat does seem like a ridiculous standard. This kind of crap is exactly why I don't talk about being a writer (except when my family embarrasses me by telling someone, and I have to explain).
ReplyDeleteYeah, I try not to talk about it with non-writers generally. I can't hack it.
DeleteI liked this post until I read the phrase 'those authors.' That stings. But you know what, the mentality of the public is changing when it comes to writers and how they get their work out there. The change might be slow, but it's coming. All people want is quality to read. I, for one, and thrilled you've taken the risks you have. You inspire me.
ReplyDeleteMWAH!
DeleteOh, UGH! The Norms can be so thoughtless, lol. Bad stranger, bad.
ReplyDeleteHaha. Yes, they should get a smack.
DeleteDoesn't that just drive you nuts?
ReplyDeletetotally and utterly
DeleteThis is so weird. Your blog page is absolutely huge on my screen. I'd say it's in my settings except that your's is the only blog that has been showing up like this. I have to scroll across the screen to read it. Best I can figure is you've really hit the big time. You're a big time author!
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
I don't know why, Lee! It looks fine on my end :( funny!
DeleteThere are those who are authors...and rest are idiots! No, not really, but many don't have a clue or a kind heart.
ReplyDeleteHaha, yes, that should be my moto. "the rest are idiots" :-)
DeleteDon't worry, I'm afraid soon THOSE will be the only authors, regardless of whose stamp is on the spine. It's sad. I always LURVED bookstores.
ReplyDeleteYou're an amazing writer, and if short-sighted people want to miss out, there's not a thing you can do about it~ ((hugs)) <3
Thank you, sugar :-)
DeletePerceptions/assumptions are hard to break. Why didn't the stranger ask what you write? Did the conversation get that far?
ReplyDeleteShrug it off. Who says you have to accept that judgment, especially by a stranger?
yeah i really don't talk about it at all either. Though most of the people who find out are genuinely curious and supportive, sometimes i just need to not talk about or think about being a writer
ReplyDeleteI tell them that I write books as a hobby and leave it at that. That seems to work fairly well. For some reason, immediately declaring myself not of the professional writing world heads those annoying comments off at the pass.
ReplyDeleteTruthfully, though, I don't mention my writing to anyone that I know offline. It's just better that way.
Yeah, you're one of *those* authors who, instead of talking about writing and publishing a book, actually made it happen. I think that's a super groovy type of author and folks who don't are ign'ant (and thoughtless,
ReplyDeleteAND insensitive). What the heck do *they* know? Nothin', that's what. :-)
Some Dark Romantic
Where I live if you're not in Barnes and Noble you don't exist.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Mina. "If by one of those authors you mean one who spent years writing, editing, and proofing a book, produced it, published it, spends every spare moment getting the word out and eals with crap from people who don't understand that the written word no longer has to live in bookstores (and in fact, doing so is no longer the norm), then yes, I am one of those authors."
ReplyDelete