“Every author, however modest, keeps a most outrageous vanity chained like a madman in the padded cell of his breast.”– Logan P. Smith

Once it was a lot easier to be a writer. It was a hunched over your typewriter in the garret (or the basement or the garage) kind of job. Who cared about what the writer looked like anyway? Most writers had a formal black and white portrait, printed fairly small, taken for the bottom of the back flap of the book jacket. I am pretty sure nobody but the writer’s mother even looked at it. And they used that picture until they died. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating but I can assure you not by much.

Writing is a solitary “holed up somewhere” job.  A job that begs for comfortable clothes and plenty of food close at hand. Writers love food that is not usually green and often has a last name of chip. Candy works well, too. The more frustrated the writer is, the more the writer eats or at least this one does. I have never heard of a writer who can’t eat because they are stuck over what to do with an uncooperative character or a scene that refuses to work. The default definitely is to eat.

Writers did not go on book tours. Some did not attend their own book launch parties. Some writers didn’t even venture out to meet their editors being as they say reclusive. They “corresponded” about the book using the United States Mail Service. The manuscript in its various stages was sent in special boxes called manuscript boxes back and forth until everyone agreed it was finished. This allowed the writer to look exactly as they pleased and not have to worry about their image. It was about the book not the writer.

Today the writer is everywhere. If you read my last post you know what I am talking about. Facebook, blogs, videos (I shudder at the thought!). It all translates into pictures. Way too many pictures of the writer. This may be why a lot of writers are showing you cute pictures of their dogs and cats.

I have an author photo. I actually like it. Trust me, it took a village to produce this carefully staged version of me.

The problem is, as you have most likely noticed, I have to post lots of other pictures. Pictures where I am out in the world, shall we say, unenhanced. Of course, certain things are what they are. But, I have noticed lately from some of these pictures that I could stand to lose a few pounds.

Twenty-three pounds to be exact. This is how many pounds over my official Weight Watcher lifetime member goal that I am. I have decided that if I am going to be in everyone’s face or Facebook, the least I can do is look my best.

My plan is to be back at my goal weight by November first. This may seem like a long time but it translates to losing about a pound each week. As a veteran of the Weight Loss War, I know that this is realistic. I should be at goal about the time I will need a new author photo for my next book.

I will keep you posted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V

“Every author, however modest, keeps a most outrageous vanity chained like a madman in the padded cell of his breast.”– Logan P. Smith

 

Once it was a lot easier to be a writer. It was a hunched over your typewriter in the garret (or the basement or the garage) kind of job.  Who cared about the writer anyway? Most writers had a small, formal black and white portrait taken for the bottom of the back flap of the book. I am pretty sure nobody but the writer’s mother even looked at it. And they used that picture until they died. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating but I can assure you not by much.

 

Writers did not go on book tours. Some did not attend their own launch parties. It was about the book. Some writers didn’t venture out to meet their editors. They “corresponded” about the book using the United States Mail Service. The manuscript in its various stages was sent in special boxes called manuscript boxes back and forth until everyone agreed it was finished. This allowed the writer to look exactly as they pleased and not have to worry about their image. It was about the book.

 

Writing is a solitary “hold up somewhere” job.  A job that begs for comfortable clothes and plenty of food close at hand. Writers love food that is not usually green and often has a last name of chip. Candy works well, too.  The more frustrated the writer is, the more the writer eats or at least this one does.  I have never heard of a writer who can’t eat because they are stuck over what to do with an uncooperative character or a scene that refuses to work. The default definitely is to eat.

 

Today the writer is everywhere. If you read my last post you know what I am talking about it.  Facebook, blogs, videos (I shudder at the thought!). It all translates into pictures. Way too many pictures of the writer. This may be why a lot of writers are showing you cute pictures of their dogs and cats.

 

I have an author photo. I actually like it.  Trust me, it took a village to produce this carefully staged vision of me.

 

 

The problem is as you have most likely noticed I have to post lots of other pictures. Pictures where I am out in the world, shall we say, unenhanced. Of course, certain things are what they are. But, I have noticed lately from some of these pictures that I could stand to lose a few pounds.

 

 

Twenty-three pounds to be exact.  This is how many pounds over my official Weight Watcher lifetime member goal that I am.  I have decided that if I am going to be in everyone’s face or Facebook, the least I can do is look my best.

 

My plan is to be back at my goal weight by November first. This may seem like a long time but it translates to about a pound loss each week. As a veteran of the Weight Loss War, this is realistic. This time frame should be about the time I will need a new author photo for my next book.

 

I will keep you posted.