There are so many articles on the internet about reasons why you should or shouldn't date a writer. So for fun, I made a compilation- modifying or adding my own points too- of why you should have a writer in your life. I thought I'd share to make my writer friends smile. :)
Reasons You Should Befriend or Date a Writer
(And Things You Should Know Beforehand)
-Writers like to communicate with words. So you'd better be prepared to read that 1,000-word text message. It will be crafted like a masterpiece. And if our reply is too long for a text message, we'll text you to say we emailed you our response instead. The good news? We don't expect you to reply immediately or to send us a book-length message back. Just reply eventually even a couple days later and please send something more than "K." We just poured our heart out.
-Writers usually have above-average spelling and grammar skills. We won't judge you if you use "you're" instead of "your" because occasionally, we make that typo too. But we will notice. Just please always use end punctuation.
-Writers love harder and deeper than most people. They will love you like they love their favorite book, which honestly should terrify you. If you inspire them, they will devote themselves to you as if you hold their life in your hands. You probably will. There is a reason why my friends say I love unconditionally. No matter what you say or do to them, once you are loved by a writer, you will probably always be loved by that writer.
-Writers often have flexible schedules. Which means anytime you can or want to meet up probably works for us. Unless it's earlier than noon: sometimes we keep strange writing hours.
-Writers will always keep you entertained. They usually have colorful personalities. From their stories to their random knowledge, there will never be a dull moment with them. When you're waiting in line bored, we can weave a story to pass the time. When you're having a bad day at work, we'll throw together a few lines of clever poetry to make you laugh.
-Writers are creative. Their creativity can make an ordinary day special. All that you see in movies that make you smile and wish that they happen to you too are made by writers. They are creative enough to think of the most unconventional yet the most meaningful way to make a relationship shift from routines to adventure, from boredom to excitement, from an ordinary day to an experience filled with excitement. With the right words, even a description of a mundane trip to the grocery store can be turned into an epic story. Because...
-Writers tell great stories. All writing is really storytelling, and most writers naturally apply this to everything that happens to them. After apologizing for monopolizing the conversation (again), one of my best friends told me "I love listening to you talk." Another told me "I love hearing your stories. You always have a different perspective." If you aren't a good listener... you probably won't ever be very close to a writer.
-Writers are artists; they see beauty that isn’t skin deep. Writing is an art where creativity reigns. That is why writers see beauty in a unique and unconventional kind of way. They don’t conform to the societal standards of beauty. They can find beauty in almost anything. Some of the greatest writing is actually about nothing interesting at all, but the writer had the skill to make it seem interesting, and that’s what makes it great. It’s not about what happens, it’s how it’s told. A writer will always find a way to a silver lining. They usually see beauty in wit, in wisdom, in the ability to take different perspectives, and in all else essential and abstract.
-Writers offer unique and thoughtful perspectives on a variety of subjects. We will share with you an interesting perspective on things. Writers see the world through a different lens. They see life differently.
-A relationship with a writer will be an educational experience. Writers are smart. They're inquisitive, and between all of their research (endless browsing on Wikipedia or trying interesting real-life experiences), they learn new things that they share with you. Their research all adds up, and it not only gives them emotional experience but also a wide knowledge of the real world. You'll learn about things you never would've learned about on your own. My friends hear way too much from me about psychology, and with my mom, I'm forever sharing odd and useless facts I don't know remember where I picked up. Writers will teach you cool new words too!
-Writers are creative problem solvers and critical thinkers. They're deep thinkers and many times, a little philosophical. Yes, you may quote us. ;)
-Some writers are wise beyond their years and can give great advice. They know the difference between fiction and non-fiction. They can make a world of fairytale escape for you from time to time with romanticism at hand. But they can also be practical and tell you when to live in reality. While they extract the universal values of life from fiction and apply them in real life, they can also learn from non-fiction and avoid mistakes that other people committed. These make them good decision-makers. They know what life is inside and outside a book.
-Writers deal with criticism and rejection daily. They learn to smartly assess constructive criticism and persevere in tough times. They can be weirdly optimistic. Writers don’t give up easily, making them ambitious, driven, determined, and fiercely loyal individuals. They may want to give up momentarily, but really, if they love you, they will never give up on you.
-Writers are a little weird. Their relationship with you will be very unique, and unique is interesting. As a child, I would sit and read the dictionary or thesaurus for fun and I get lost for hours when I open an encyclopedia. When I would write in the evenings, I could eat half a bag of chocolate chips (my "brain food") before I realized it. Writers are a little quirky.
-Writers feel emotions deeply. So if you don't want to get close to them or can't handle their complex nature, express that gently to them. Many writers live their whole lives feeling different and weird, never fitting in. That will always be hard and rejection will always still hurt. They never get fully immune to it.
-Writers are observant. Since writers are observant people, they are very particular with details. They remember a lot of things, even the smallest details that we include in our actions. From noticing the little freckle on my friend's hand that matches the freckle on mine to when a woman at church trimmed her hair to when my friend got a new purse or a new shirt, we writers pick up on the little things.
-Writers are perceptive. They study people. Writers think… a lot. They don't settle with surface meaning. It’s as if they read your thoughts, and they see where your argument is heading. They can anticipate your anxiety, your excitement, your possible reactions, etc. Writers feel for you because they can understand that there are things that we can’t easily voice out. Thus, their skill in reading between the lines makes them sensitive to our emotions. As a friend told me once, sometimes when she reads my writing, it's like I put her feelings into words in a way she never could. A writer will understand you and empathize. Unfortunately though, our perceptiveness makes it hard sometimes to lie to us or to hide emotions from us.
-Writers can think through their feelings. They are in-tune to emotions. So don’t start an argument or discussion unless you’re ready for a very, very lengthy explication of our position and our feelings about your position. A "few minutes to talk" will never be just a few minutes.
-Writers are often open books, wearing their hearts on their sleeves, and able to articulate their thoughts and feelings eloquently (at least on paper). We have no secrets. Sure, plenty of writers never write about themselves. But plenty of writers write about nothing else. Regardless, it’s inevitable that their personal life will bleed into their work sooner or later. If you want to get to know a writer quickly, read their work. You will generally learn more about their heart in three pages than you would in three conversations. So much so that as a teenager, I thought it'd be really cool to have someone fall in love with my heart by reading my written work.
-Writers are strong perfectionists with themselves.
-Writers are brilliant communicators. They know how to communicate effectively. Writers have spent their whole careers figuring out the best ways to communicate ideas to their readers, but this doesn’t stop when they shut down their laptop. A writer will always be able to get across what they want to say, so you won’t ever have to guess what they "really mean." Writers know themselves and their strength in communication. It is their best way to make people understand them and to understand others. Thus, problems are opened up. They willingly discuss, not argue, about things they need to settle. Writers deal with situations through open and proper communication. They need to know what the problem is and what they can do to fix it. Eventually, they fix it. As a result...
-Writers are generally straight-forward people. They have their own voice, thoughts, and opinions and they don't always hesitate to share them. As my former employer described me, we're very "direct." We're honest, open, vulnerable, and we say what we mean. We expect you to do the same.
-Writers communicate mostly through writing. They know their way with words. A lot of writers are the quiet type that communicate better through email or text than they do face-to-face, and all writers are generally better with written words than with spoken words, whether we talk a lot or are quiet. Writers are thinkers, and thinkers need time to properly figure out what they want to say, how they want to say it, and how to best communicate those two things to the other person. (And get accustomed to metaphors.) Writers take time to process what they really want to say, and they may be more comfortable saying it in writing than in a face-to-face setting. Phone calls are a category of their own. When I'm anticipating talking on the phone, I will get so anxious, my stomach will feel sick. Quite literally. Phone calls are to be avoided at all costs. But if we love you, writers will make the effort. Some of my friends prefer talking on the phone sometimes; others prefer having serious conversations in person. If a writer loves you, she can be flexible to how you communicate best. It works both ways. Be open to different communication styles.
-Writers are many times quiet or introverted. They can chat endlessly when talking about a subject they're passionate about, when telling stories, or when discussing anything of real substance. But turn the conversation to small talk and they excuse themselves quickly if you don't carry the conversation. Writers might not be good at small talk so if you're afraid of emotional intimacy and challenging conversations... your relationship with a writer will never even leave the ground.
-Writers often enjoy solitude and don’t need a busy social life to thrive. They don’t always necessarily need space and need to be alone, but they do need silence. They need time to write. It is, after all, what they do. Writing is their job or their passion. But even while writing, we get lonely sometimes. So read a book or keep busy on your phone or work on your laptop, but be in the same room with us while we're writing. Just having you there is quality time to us even if our thoughts are busy and we need silence to work. We don't always have to be- or want to be- alone to write.
-Writers are really passionate. They are intense people. Writers can’t help their passion for writing. Most likely, they've been writing or telling stories since their childhood. If a writer ever tells you that they're going to stop writing, you can be certain that it won't last for very long. They have to write. It's a passion that they just can’t turn off. They're undeniably passionate about their writing and that passion permeates to how they live out every aspect of their lives, including your relationship.
-Writers don't really care about money. Don't get us wrong- we love the things money can buy and the things we can do with money. But doing what you love and pursuing your passion is more important to us than financial success. And if your passion happens to make good money... we will trade talents with you in a heartbeat! (Not really.) But we're well-acquainted with financial struggles so if you wanna go to MickeyD's or Chick-fil-A for a date, we're cool with that.
-Writers can woo you with words. If your love language is words of affirmation, you’re in luck. Writers can find thousands of ways to tell you how much they care and why they like you. I'm known for making people cry with my heart-felt words (and for crying while writing them!). You'll get the best greeting cards or love letters ever.
-Writers are appreciative. Since writers know the value of criticism and recognition when they write, they know how to deliver them as well. They would tell you honestly what you need to improve and they would tell you even the smallest detail worth of commendation. They know how important it is to critic and motivate at the same time. Thus, they appreciate the details. They know what to say to help you and at the same time make you feel loved.
-Writers will make you feel successful. No matter how unsuccessful a writer may be, you can bet they’d rather sit with writer’s block staring at a blank screen than… whatever it is people with "real" jobs do all day. A writer so badly doesn’t want to get a "real" job that they will make you feel strong and successful simply for getting through the working day, and that’s before any actual success or career progression you may make. And after the work day, you'll be treated like a battle-wearied soldier. Really, how do you survive eight-plus hours in an office?
-Writers can keep records of your happy moments. Writers love note-taking from the traditional pen and paper to the iPad that they bring along. They keep records of memories through photos and write-ups that would make all things immortal. Yes, writing sets immortality. You may die but her blog post about you would remain. You may leave her or unfriend her but her accounts of your happy memories would stay on the web (unless she deletes them).
-Writers will write about you. If you become part of a writer's life, you'll probably see yourself reflected in their work. This means they like you and think about you a lot. It's always best not to ask prying questions about it though. To some people, it's considered a nightmare, but writers can really stroke your ego. You might become her inspiration. She might thank you in a book dedication. You might become her sounding board for new ideas. It's a compliment, really. Writers aren't trying to make brownie points: it just comes natural to write about the people they feel close to. If you have a relationship with a writer and they don’t write about you- whether it’s good or bad- then they don’t love you. They just don’t. Writers fall in love with (or become best friends with) the people they find inspiring.
-Writers are unique, weird, and wonderful people, but know that not everyone has what it takes to handle their awesomeness. :)
