I’ve been
travelling recently, meeting new people along the road with all the
introductions and casual chit-chat that entails, and of course that includes
the dreaded question “What do you do?”
I usually
answer (feeling a bit fraudulent, because really this is only one of the things
I do) “I’m a writer”.
“Really? That’s
so interesting!” they cry. “That’s so much more interesting than my job. What kind
of writer?”
“Novels and
stories…” I hesitate, not really wanting to say the next bit, but what can I do,
I’m a truthful person “…for children and teenagers.”
That’s when
some of those people who thought my job was more interesting than theirs switch
off. It’s as if I’ve cheated them. I’m not really a writer. I’m more like a
primary school assistant maybe, or a child-minder – one of those jobs that is
not respected in this country.
“How
lovely,” they say, insincerely. “But you’re not JK Rowling, are you.” Or they frown
and ask accusingly, as if I must only be in it for the easy money, or because
it’s easy, “Why do you write for children?”
I only get
this reaction in the UK. In other countries, people tend to be much more positive.
But I’ve also noticed that in totalitarian countries like China and Russia, it makes
me ‘safe’. Writers in general are to be feared, journalists even more so (I
used to travel as a journalist). People are hesitant to talk to me. But say I am
a children’s writer and all those fears and inhibitions vanish. If I write for
children I must be a good and kind, honest and completely harmless person.
And yet I still
feel I am taken seriously in a way I’m often not in the UK. In China, people
told me there is no literature at all for children, and all of them grew up reading
just a few Chinese classics like Journey to the West. Come and write books for
Chinese children, they invited. We have nothing to read to our kids, no
tradition of bedtime stories. That seemed so sad to me. And they felt it was
sad, this great lack in their own lives, and this yearning to give their own
children what they never had.
In Britain,
everyone says something about Harry Potter.
In Britain,
people ask “Should I have heard of you?”
Fellow
writers, how the hell do you answer that question?*
On my latest
trip round Scotland I’ve been put firmly in my place by a lady who lives next
door to Julia Donaldson. An elderly Norwegian gentleman recited his poetry to
me. Two delighted Italians demanded that I write my name down so they can look
me up later and tell everyone they gave a famous author a lift (they’re going to
be so disappointed if they do look me up). A lovely lady, mistaking my statement
of fact for an expression of wishful thinking, told me she hoped all my dreams
of being a children’s writer came true. And one Scottish university professor
told me I was doing an important job.
Stick at
it, he said. It’s so hard for kids today to find a space where they can really concentrate
and be alone, at the same time as escaping into and thoroughly inhabiting the
other worlds of fiction, with all their peoples and relationships and landscapes
and habits… The books you write give them that space, if they want to find it.
I think
that was one of the nicest responses I’ve ever had.
*I'll be travelling again when this is posted but will try and check your comments - I really do want to hear your answers!
9 comments:
Kudos to the Scottish professor!
I too have frequently had "Should I have heard of you?", and think one of the best reasons for writing for children is that children have too much sense to ask it.
Great post, Lily. I allowed myself a few wry empathetic chuckles. 'Should I have heard of you?' We should all start answering that with a brusque 'Definitely'.
'Should I have heard of you?' is a rude question,usually meant rudely.
My answer is 'It depends how well-read you are.'
It makes me feel really sad to hear of this kind of reaction. I know that lots of children's authors have had the same kind of thing, as I've heard lots of others say so. I don't know if I'm just really lucky with the people I've met, but I don't think I've ever had that lack of interest at being a children's author. People always seem to think it sounds like a great thing to be. I have never understood why anyone would get negative reactions to this, and I still don't.
Of course, I do get the 'might I have heard of you?' kind of response - but generally I don't think people are being intentionally rude. I always assume that they're just excited to have met someone who does something sort of in the public eye, and don't quite know how to express their interest appropriately as it's not a situation they've often (or ever) been in before.
I usually say 'unless you are an eight year old girl and you love mermaids then probably not'. Then I hand them one of my cards and tell them that if they happen to have an eight year old girl in their life they should give it to her and tell her to check out my website! :)
Liz x
It says more about them than it does about you. There are few things more important than writing good books for children.
Other questions:
Are you rich? Do you know anyone famous (having established I am not famous)? Have you ever thought about writing for adults?
And a personal favourite from an extended family member:
How's the writing going? Managed to get anything published yet?
Cue a smile which doesn't quite reach my eyes...
Love your professor - he's absolutely right.
Tam is so right! I've had all that!
Thanks for all your responses! Yes, Liz, I don't really think the 'should I have heard of you' is meant to be rude, but I still don't know how to answer it - both 'yes' and 'no' seem clearly wrong.. But your answer is absolutely great
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