A Facebook friend of mine started an interesting conversation thread the other day, and it generated a surprising number of comments.
Apparently someone she knew was happily describing themselves as a “novelist”. So, you might say?
So, indeed. This person, has never in fact completed a novel, let alone been published. I might add it was a polite crowd, no expletives to be deleted, and there was a very strong consensus, from both published novelists, and other writers.
The group wisdom was there was no problem in this person describing themselves as a “writer”, or as an “aspiring novelist” or even a “would be novelist” but to claim to actually be a “novelist” was pushing the envelope far too far.
I’m not sure if it’s tribal or simply evolutionary imperative for those of us who perhaps have been lucky enough to be published, to want to defend our turf. We have one, or more, novels out there in the big wide world, we obtain some income from them, pin money maybe, but a portion of our income, so it’s a professional badge, and we resent anyone who is not a member of that club trying to muscle in on it.
Personally, I don’t have any problem with them calling themselves “writers”, but I have to go with the majority on this subject. I wouldn’t ask an accountant for financial advice without knowing they were qualified, they’d served their apprenticeship and taken (Ed: and passed!) their exams. I wouldn’t let a plumber loose on my house without checking their credentials, so how is an unpublished writer a novelist.
I wrote the above a couple of hours ago, and then left it alone for a while to do something else. I’ve come back to it now, and reread it, intending to finish it off.
My ending for it, is not what is was going to be.
I’m trying to work out who is the more pretentious – the person calling themselves a “novelist” when they haven’t had a novel published. Or us, objecting to their use of our hard won title.
Jeez. That’s a harder choice than you might think.
In the end we’re being rather precious about it, and is there any real difference between that and pretentiousness?
Is it pretentious to be proud of a hard earned title? No. But I won't jump up and down and scream if someone calls themselves a novelist who isn't. I figure they'll say it one too many times and someone will ask to see said novel. Who looks the fool then?
ReplyDeleteNice practical approach as ever, Deborah!
ReplyDeleteGosh, an interesting point - well, several actually. On the other side of the fence, I have huge trouble even calling myself a writer, let alone a novelist - I just tend to say I write fiction on a part-time basis and then move on quickly before they can ask if they've heard of me and then lose interest when they haven't. It's always very embarrassing and the whole conversation always makes me feel stupid and edgy! Lord knows what that says about me, but if anyone comes up with a confidence pill I'd take it! :)
ReplyDeleteThen just pop a Smartie Anne. You are defintely entiled to bask in some glory. If they are so shallow as to lose interest that way then it wasn't worth talking to them to start with.
ReplyDeleteYou are a writer. For that matter you are most definitely a novelist. So what if you don't do it all the time - that's irelevant. You have to sleep sometime - thast's what you go to work after all. LOL
D
Ooh, Smarties! I love those! :)) You've cheered me muchly just by mentioning them, LOL
ReplyDeleteAnne
xxx
Especially the pink ones. Don't know what they put in them, but definitely the pink ones. LOL
ReplyDeleteWell, I would not object, as such, but I must admit I would cringe. Having written two unpublished novels, I do not consider myself a novelist. Amateur writer, maybe? Although I have been paid for work in the past for work that still remains unpublished (score!) in polite company I would just say that I write, like a jogger jogs. It's a matter of perspective but I think putting someone down for saying they are something they have not yet completed is a bit harsh. I have read strategies for would-be writers to get the motivation to write and one of them is to define yourself as the thing you aspire to. Calling yourself a novelist might be your way to remind you to keep at it. Be defined by the goal, so to speak. I was not there to hear the comment in context (and I'm sure it was probably cringe worthy) but I say let them dream. Otherwise, you're in danger of assuming that they will never succeed. And we know what happens to those who assume.
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