I’m adding to my Rules for Writing – as I said, it’s a work in progress, created as I discover something else people should know.
And dude, this is something that everyone should know. It’s a golden rule you learn in preschool.
Rule 5- Don’t be an ass.
While this is one of my main rules in life, I hadn’t thought to include it as a specific writing rule. But it seems people need to know. Especially in regards to the Internet. Back in The Day, a popular phrase was “on the Internet, no one knows you’re a dog.” Well now people can not only find out that you’re a dog, but can look up a picture of your doghouse on Google Street View. Back in The Day, you had to work hard to let all your fans know you’re an ass. Now you can do it in a weekend tirade on Twitter. (Notice, of course, that Hoffman did not apologize to the reviewer whose personal information she put on her Twitter account; she apologized to her READERS. This is a passive aggressive move, and continues to break the “don’t be an ass” rule.)
I don’t care if you’re a NYT Bestseller or a wanna-be about to write your first fanfic. There are tools availalbe to everyone to search the web to find when you or your product are being talked about. (For example, I casually mentioned a Brad Sucks song on my Twitter account – and note that I did NOT @bradsucks, I just mentioned his name – and he replied within 10 min.) You can vent about rejection, about reviews, about your bad day, sure. We’re all human. BUT the moment you target someone, the moment it goes from, “Damn, I just got rejected,” to “Jane Agent doesn’t know what she’s [EXPLETIVE DELETED] talking about, she wouldn’t know a good book if it hit her in her [REDACTED],” you’ve damned yourself. If Jane Agent is online and paying attention (and a LOT of agents are, these days), she’s going to notice, brand you as a sour grapes author, and probably note that if your attitude is like this now, it may not change if your writing ever improves to make her consider you for representation.
I saw a funny tweet today from @TeresaMedeiros: “RWA [Romance Writers of America] Survival Tip: Never talk about author/editor/publisher in bathroom. Odds of them being in next stall: 100%.”
People. The Internet is the bathroom, and Google searching tools are the next stall. If you talk about someone, they will hear you. Don’t be an ass.
There are a lot more links to deal with, but that will be a later blog post. Bizzy bizzy day ahead for me.
Writing prompt for June 30: They had to lay off the executioner because crime rates dropped. Now what?
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6 Responses to Rule 5- Don’t be an ass.
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Fantastic points! This goes not just for writing but ANYTHING you do in life. The world is watching and there’s always someone ready show everyone else what stupid thing you just did… (But why do they always have to be so fast about it?!)
I have to say, a few months ago I got what I personally deemed to be the most ridiculous rejection letter I’ve ever gotten and went off on a small tirade about it on my blog and twitter. I never mentioned the editor or the publisher of said rejection, but I did paraphrase what was said rather snarkily. I felt bad about it afterward, like it made me look unprofessional, so now whenever I have the desire to do something like that, I do it word or email and send it to myself and a few discrete friends. Then I get the vent out without damaging my own, or anyone else’s reputation.
Is ranting about a review on Twitter the 21st century equivalent of showing up at a newspaper office with a horsewhip, like the Victorians did?
There’s a weird thing with the Internet in that people think the same rules don’t apply that apply in real life. You can be as nasty to someone as you like on the Internet and they can’t punch you.
Okay sometimes that’s a good thing! But you’ve got to think twice about anything like that. If you wouldn’t stand up and say it in front of a room full of people, including the person you’re insulting and their friends, for fear of consequences other than punching, then saying it on the Internet isn’t a good idea either. It will be there forever.
Stick to private emails or just rant to your significant other until the steam has stopped coming out of your ears, is my advice.
That’s a really good writing prompt…
Very true. Ran into this issue when posting on a private forum which suddenly went public.
You learn from making this mistake very quickly.
This also applies to “private” e-mail. If you get into a nasty conversation with someone you don’t know, they can, and sometimes will, make it public.