I've been a writer for 27 years and written about many things: recycling, reuse, substance abuse, sexual harassment, Alzheimer's disease, aging, caregiving, and healthy eating, to name a few. Twenty-six of my books have been published and I just finished a book. Public reaction to my work has been interesting.

Right after a major publisher released one of my books a friend exclaimed, "I was going to write that!" He sounded hurt, as if I had robbed him of something. But books don't write themselves and the fact of the matter is that I had the idea, planned the book, researched the topic, wrote the book, and found an agent to represent it. He didn't.

During the course of my career I've heard the "I was going to write that!" response many times. I hear it from authors and would-be authors. This response is bewildering. Dozens of people have told me they are writers, yet when I ask what they're working on none of them - not one - was working on anything.

These would-be writers haven't learned that writing constantly, grinding out copy day after day, is the only way to get published.

Some would-be authors have wanted me to write for them. After giving a workshop about writing for children a young woman approached me. She described the story she was writing in great detail. One page was causing her lots of trouble. "What do I write?" she asked.

"Only you can decide that," I replied. "You're the author." The woman looked at me intently. My reply wasn't what she had wanted to hear.

"But what do I write?" she repeated. My reply was the same. Finally, the woman changed her tactic and asked me to dictate dialogue. I stated my reply a third time and added some encouraging words. The woman became angry, turned abruptly, and left.

Some people have treated my writing as a lucky accident or a pleasant hobby. Of course they don't come right out and say, "It's nice you found a hobby." These people imply the idea through their word choices, the pitch of their words, and body language. One person actually asked, "You've had a book published?"

Apparently I didn't look like a writer to her.

Thank goodness the tactless comments I have received have been balanced by positive ones. I think positive reviews, whether they're published in newspapers or posted on the Internet, keep writers going. These reviews give us the energy to try again.

Each article, book, or script is a stepping stone to a better product. Becoming a grandma hasn't stopped me from writing. Instead, it has given me more to write about. I started a new book last week and another one is rattling around in my head. Yes, I'm a grandma, a writer, and I'm just hitting my stride!

Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com Harriet Hodgson is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com. A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You'll also find another review on the American Hospice Foundation website under the "School Corner" heading. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harriet_Hodgson