And, yes, you’re right about writers. We HAVE to be writers where we can let our minds and imaginations run wild. We just can’t make it as ’suits’ and ‘9 to 5ers;’ I’m sure we’ve all tried at some point!

In addition to sitting at the back table at the bar, we usually, too, end up in the hot tub at 3 a.m. with the (female) Regional VP, and two (female) sales consultants [clothing optional]! And, I’ve never really figured out how this works, they are more intoxicated than we are. Life is a mystery ain’t it?

Now back to the other side of the brain. Will stuff be available for those of us who can’t make it at that time?

Keep up the good work,

Jim

Most recently at a party, I collected six pack rings from people and explained the fine art of tricking spotted owls into wearing them around their necks.

During “Earth Hour” (turn off your lights for an hour to save energy), I secretly turned on every light a girl worked hard to turn off. She caught me and said “You’re worse than Hitler”.

I told her real men don’t conserve electricity. We make more of it.

A verbal tennis match ensued.

I think I was winning with my strong arguments about thermodynamics and the convertibility of mass and energy.

Her screaming was drawing an audience. So I try a verbal “drop shot” by saying I really do like the environment. I don’t wash my underwear because even I don’t want that much filth ending up in our drinking water.

Hurrah! 45 - Love!

It wasn’t a real victory though.

More like Federer winning versus a drunk baby.

Point is…I think one of the reasons writers are “Alien” is because we point out the absurdities of life.

It’s fun.

I’m off to club a baby seal. Peace.

Like Paul, I also fired all my clients years ago (nearly 10 now!) and it was the best thing to ever happen. Although I had the ego to not get trampled on by clients, I was also difficult and told them the truths of their businesses they often didn’t want to hear, or deal with… which made for uncomfortable “hey you guys the elephant’s in the room, your GM is a tyrannical pain in the butt and He’s why you’re having so many problems in the company” type stuff that legends are made of… at least on the coconut wireless in Hawaii, where my 140 clients were…

I like your point about us having to be such avid students of human nature, being able to figure out the angst, the behavior drivers, the inside part of people that really gets them fired up, then tapping into it on a visceral gut level in the copy.. it’s tremendous fun to go to a restaurant or a mall and figure out what people are really up to…

Being an outsider is fine… for some of us, it’s better that way… we can watch the world like a fishbowl, from the outside looking in… then dip our pens in ink and make a splash here, a tidal wave there, and rock the world. It’s a great place to be. Thanks as always for the insights, and examples of the craft of writing, in your words — you’re a master of it.

-ken

Gotta tell you,l I found myself nodding my head and then laughing most of the way through this. I don’t think you went overboard at all. If anything, it’s uncharacteristically understated.

Well… for you.

Writers with any experience tend to be pains in the ass to deal with, because we see all the “sneaky” shit that people try and get over. Even when they don’t know they’re doing it, or why. Then, instead of getting mad, we just laugh about it, which freaks them out even more.

And good writers rarely have dull friends. They usually surround themselves with scary smart people, because they’re so easily bored by the same old stuff. 3 minutes of, “Did you hear about Jane down the street?,” and I’m excusing myself for something less painful. (Maybe I could argue with that big drunk over there about which silicone-based life-form ought to appear on the next cover of Maxim…)

I suspect your approach to “mastering” clients works well for a lot of people. Clients can be amazingly confused about what they’re doing. Personally, I fired all of mine years ago (some more politely than others), and started doing my own stuff.

This way, I only have one pain in the ass client to deal with.

As far as being understood… It’s more fun making sure you understand the other guy (or gal). They’re completely unused to it.

Besides, when I do something odd that people don’t understand, I only ever need a 3-word explanation: “I’m a writer.”

Works every time.

Paul