So, when you are a writer and you occasionally (daily) spend too much time on social media, you may start looking for writing wisdom and inspiration on Twitter. Unfortunately, I must not be like other writers because oftentimes these memes completely miss the mark for me. For example:
You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.
Trust me, I’m perfectly capable of writing complete crap in the middle of the night. Am I the only one? I’m awakened by a sudden, brilliant stroke of inspiration, stumble to the computer, and feverishly type, convinced I’ve solved all my plot problems. The next morning, I’ve got nothing to show for it except a headache and bleary eyes from losing sleep.
The scariest moment is always just before you start.
Just before I start, or just as I get started on a new book isn’t the scariest time for me, at all. It’s actually the most fun and exciting moment! When ALL the possibilities are still open and I haven’t written myself (or my character) into an impossible corner. The scariest moment is when I have a deadline looming and a plot hole the size of Texas staring at me.
The road to hell is paved with adverbs.
Exactly! No, I mean it. This meme works perfectly. Absolutely. Positively.
What’s your favorite inspirational quote, or the best—or worst—meme you’ve seen on social media? Please share in comments.
Chicks on the Case 
oh my goodness..never ever press publish on something you got up in the middle of the night to write. That’s a terrible inspiration meme LOL. I’m all for getting up and getting it out (I do it often) but then look it over again in the morning. Nine times out of ten, you gotta change it! And I totally agree that right before getting started is very exciting. I think the scariest moment is right before you press send when submitting a proposal or query. (so far, for me at least)
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Candy, I’m glad I’m not the only one who isn’t always brilliant in the middle of the night! Also yes to scary right before you hit send (and sometimes even scarier right AFTER I hit send, LOL!)
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Yes! Once you press send then it’s “oh wow, I did it..oh now I have to wait…and wait…”
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Whenever I take the energy to actually get my sorry butt out of bed in the middle of night to write something down, I tend to find it’s pretty much gibberish in the morning.
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I agree–especially about the middle-of-the-night writings! If I can even read my own writing in the morning, the content is pretty awful!
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I have found that to be the case sometimes as well lol.
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My favorite meme is a serious-looking little girl in curlers that says: Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee and a good dog. And my scariest moment is right after I hit “send”.
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Haha, best to the coffee, Keenan! I need substantial amounts of coffee just to be somewhat functional woman most of the time. 🙂
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supposed to be *yes* to the coffee. (She says as she goes to pour another cup.)
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That post-send feeling is sheer terror!
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I think the first quote is valid if you’re like me and go back to sleep whenever you have a middle-of-the-night brainstorm. Don’t get up, and you won’t have to change a thing!
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Considering the kind of waddle I usually write when I wake up in the middle of the night, that’s probably good advice, Marleen! (But what if it’s brilliant, just this once? Haha)
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I’m with you on all of these, completely, totally, fully. And you WIN for best blog title in a long, long time.
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Hi, Kaye! So you don’t write brilliantly (notice the adverb) in the middle of the night either? And thanks for the kind words on the title! I almost didn’t use it — because I wrote it in the middle of the night. 🙂
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Honestly, I can rarely READ what I write in the middle of the night.
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I’m not a writer, and even I know that what you write in the middle of the night is often no good. That one makes me scratch my head. I can see the other for some people, but not that first one.
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When I was a teenager, the poster lots of folks had on their wall (yes, wall posters were the memes of our era) said: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Which is actually pretty good. (A lot better than another popular one of my day: “Stoned agin.” [sic])
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You hit a nerve here! I HATE pronouncements, especially when it comes from other writers. Leave us alone and don’t make it feel like we’re doing things wrong!
I can’t think of a meme I love or find inspiring. I’ll tell you what makes me want to invent an anti-meme zapper: anything that uses the words “curate” or “authentic.” My authentic self DESPISES those current buzzwords.
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Ooh, Ellen, “don’t make it feel like we’re doing things wrong” reminds me of another hated meme/quote: “Practice doesn’t make perfect if you’re doing it wrong.” That’s a paranoia-inducing confidence killer!
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Oh my gosh, SAME about buzz words. “Curate” is so over used. Maybe I’ll CURATE a list of buzz words that drive me bonkers. And I’m with you about the not-so-helpful pronouncements!
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I cringe at the word “iconic.” That’s from living in Austin for several years, where every single dang thing in the area is iconic. Honest, you can’t find one landmark, shop, or street that’s not iconic.
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Ha ha! The iconic land of icons.
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So fun! (Now I can’t think of a single meme to share for some reason.) Middle of the night ideas around here can be either helpful or terrible…the trick that I have yet to master is knowing which is which…
Ellen, I used to recoil from “curate” too. Then I started thinking it was sort of fun to use for flavor (albeit with an implied wink). 😀
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This is awesome, Vickie! Hooo-boy, can I relate. Really, the only memes that inspire me involve coffee, wine or cake–ha ha!!
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That first one is wack! I don’t stumble to my computer, but I have been known to pick up paper and pen from my nightstand. Not only is it always nonsense, it’s ILLEGIBLE nonsense. But I heartily agree with Stephen King. Adverbs are the devil’s brew. Or something.
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I just saw my favorite meme again this morning: “I never lose. I either win or I learn.”
I also like the one that says “Plan ahead” but the A and the D are scrunched up and falling off the edge of, yes, Leslie, the poster!
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I’m with Kaye – this is the best title ever!
As far as that first meme, this is what I wrote in the middle of last night:
flying (fling?) there are only two kinds of *illegible scribble* I’ll just hit SEND now!
Iconic…unprecedented…artisanal…I think I’m going to curate a list of words that drive me over the edge.
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Thanks, Shari! Concerning your middle of the night story scribbles, please go with flying if it has anything to do with monkeys — otherwise, I’m intrigued by “fling”! And “unprecedented.” *Sigh* Please make it go away.
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My middle of the night ideas are gold! I don’t understand a word of them in the morning and since i texted them to myself and autocorrect kicked in because i’m dyslexic I’m usually wondering why I wanted Aunt Ginny to ice a flock of geese in her girdle. Now that I’m awake I don’t know how to make that work. And my scariest moment is always after I turn the manuscript in and I’m waiting to see if everyone thinks it’s garbage.
My favorite quote – which is not a meme – or a poster – I don’t think… is EB White: “Writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar.”
Anyone who has ever received an email or text from me understands just how much editing my agent does to my grammar and punctuation so my publisher doesn’t think they made a horrible mistake with me.
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Libby, texting yourself in the middle of the night sounds more comfortable than getting up and going to the computer. But then there’s the autocorrect insanity you mentioned, plus I’m the world’s slowest (one-thumb) texter! Writing is an act of faith — I love that!
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Vickie, you just reminded me of a character I encountered in a very vivid dream last night. I’d completely forgotten him by morning (because I never get up to go to my computer or bother trying to scribble anything on the notepad I keep on my nightstand because of COURSE I’m going to remember). Thank you!!!
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Yay, Lisa — can’t wait to read about him! Since he invaded your dreams, I hope he was the dreamy type and not the dreadful type. 🙂
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My problem writing brilliant, or not so brilliant odeas in the middle of the night?
My handwriting is bad enough when I’m wide awake! I look at my notes the next morning and say “Fuggedaboutit! I have no clue what I was thinking last night!”
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