How to Combat Classic “Oh, You Write?” Lines
There is something to fear when telling people that you write, and that something is their reactions. Here’s how to handle the classic lines that usually follow the interested question, “Oh, you write?”
Just a quick side note: If your best friend asks or says any of this, your responses are going to vary wildly based on how close you guys are and what you know about each other. If some random dude in social studies asks you these - now that's the target situation for this article.
Can I read your work?
I’ve found that this is usually born out of genuine curiosity, especially if it’s coming from someone you're friendly with. If they aren’t also fiction writers, they can’t understand how personal your writing is and how unnerving it can be to be put on the spot like this. Any of the following excuses usually work for me!
“Do you have a Wattpad? All my stuff’s on there.” (They usually don't have an account, and if they do, you've earned yourself another follower!)
“I only show my writing to people when I'm done.”
“I don’t have any of it with me right now.”
You should make me one of your characters!
Nine times out of ten, this is a joke.
For the one time out of ten when it isn’t, simply laugh at it - therefore turning it into a joke - or vaguely say, “Yeah, maybe,” and quickly change the subject.
Why do you find that fun?
If you don’t want to have a super long conversation, simply laugh at yourself or call yourself a nerd or something along those lines.
If you’re fine with drawing this out a little bit, then explain that you've always been rather creative, or it is a way for you to cope with stress - whatever your truth is.
I would seriously recommend the former, easier method, though.
Oh, I write, too! *launches into a five-minute explination of story*
Nod and smile. Just nod and smile.
What's your book about?
Give them a watered down version. Take out the most exciting parts.
This goes without saying, but also take out the parts you know they would find weird or wouldn't approve of - for example, if this person has expressed close-minded views before, maybe don't explain the entirety of your book that features LGBTQ+ themes.
Here's an example. A couple years ago, I wrote a book called The Forsaken Prophecy. This is the actual summary (although not the same one on Wattpad):
"Maria, Jason, and Rowan are three teenagers who get mixed up in another dimension's budding war when it is revealed that Maria is a faery princess in said dimension. The trio discovers that they and their escort, a boy named Ayren, are all part of a forsaken prophecy written centuries earlier, and the two humans discover that they possess magical powers of their own. Unbeknownst to the princess, Jason, or Rowan, however, is that Ayren is working for the enemy against his will, having been brainwashed as a child. As Rowan begins to develop feelings for Ayren, Maria struggles with her dangerous connections to her father, Jason attempts to overcome his anxiety, and Ayren battles with himself over who he truly is, the war breaks out and everyone's lives are put at risk."
This is the explanation I gave two boys in my math class:
"It's a book about these three teenagers who accidentally end up in another dimension and have to fight in this war."
You can obviously see the differences.
Have you gotten published?
Some people don't understand how difficult it is to get published, especially the traditional way. They think that anyone who likes writing can have a book on the shelves within months. These people might even go so far as to act as though you aren't a good writer if you're not published.
This sucks and there's little you can do to avoid it some time in your life.
What I usually do is talk about Wattpad, because even if I come across as someone lame who's only digitally self-published, at least they know that I'm putting my work out there.
If you don't care at all what they think of you, a simple "no" will suffice.
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I'm sure there are other questions I've forgotten, and if so, I might make a part two to this in the future! For now, I hope this was helpful in combating curious strangers, and I wish you the best of luck in your writing endeavors.
