Friday's Top Ten

Thanks to two comments on last week's Top Ten, today's list is:

The top ten reasons for writers to play hooky from their day jobs:

10. You'd rather be writing
from Lydia Kang at The Word is my Oyster

  9. To work on your WIP
from Miranda Stowe

  8. You dreamed a new opening chapter

  7. Research

  6. You finally know how to fix the muddy middle

  5. Your protagonist woke you during the night to chat

  4. You thought of a much better ending

  3. You have to set up your new computer

  2. Your editor pushed up your deadline

And the #1 reason for writers to play hooky from their day jobs:

  1. You have a brand new shiny idea!

Comments

Summer Ross said…
You nailed this list- LOL number one is mine for sure! Have a great weekend!
Laura Eno said…
Haha! Good ole #5. I love those chats.
Have a great weekend!
Arlee Bird said…
If I had a job this might mean something to me. What I need is to be able to stop writing some and be working. Or what would really be nice is to start making a living from writing and not have to think about a day job. I think it may be coming soon.

Lee
Tossing It Out
Twitter hashtag: #atozchallenge
Anonymous said…
My protagonist does this often. I'm like, go to sleep dude. he replies he has a great idea and will sing out of tune Hermans Hermits songs (ala Patrick Swazey in Ghost) until I get up and write.
Carol Kilgore said…
Summer - Yeah, they keep popping up.

Laura - Why do they do that?

Arlee - That would be nice, wouldn't it. Much luck :)

Stephen - LOL! They're like that :)
Talli Roland said…
Those brand new shiny ideas are awesome... but dangerous!
G. J. Jolly said…
I usually have #1 as my excuse and more often than not, it doesn't pan out. :-{
Carol Kilgore said…
Talli - Yes they are!

Glynis - Work hard, give them a chance, massage them and let them grow in different directions.
Southpaw said…
These are the same things that keep me up at night!
Elspeth Futcher said…
Excellent list, Carol! I don't usually have my MC keeping me up, but I do have some rather pushy supporting characters who go on campaigns demanding their part be larger.
LR said…
I went freelance to have more time for writing and it's been great. Almost feels like playing hooky every day (but just almost).
Jennifer Shirk said…
ha! #1 made me laugh! It's so true! Once you get an idea forget everything else. :)
Carol Kilgore said…
Holly - It's contagious.

Elspeth - I had one of those but I finally told him he was going all together if he didn't shut up. He's sulking now :)

LR - There's never enough time unless we steal it from ourselves.

Jennifer - I totally agree!
Or you're exhauseted from writing all night and you're sleeping!
Carol Kilgore said…
Colette - Thanks!

Alex - Oh, there is that, too :)
Maryannwrites said…
I just recently quit my day job, so this doesn't apply to me, either. But I do need reasons to stop finding all kinds of reasons NOT to write. LOL
Golden Eagle said…
LOL. Excellent list! :)
Kathy McIntosh said…
Fun list! Sometimes my ideas keep me up all night and I can barely drag through my days.
Mason Canyon said…
Great list, especially liked #5. Have a great weekend.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Carol Kilgore said…
Maryann - Good luck with that. It works for me to make myself sit and write for 5, 10, or 15 minutes at a time until it's no longer a problem.

Golden Eagle - Thanks.

Kathy - Happens to me, too.

Mason - You, too!
Alex stole my comment! I was gonna say that the list kept me up and I need to sleep :) All great reasons!!!
notesfromnadir said…
#1 is always the best reason to play hooky from a day job. However, 1 usually had to pretend to be sick in order to do so!
Carol Kilgore said…
Words Crafter - Don't you hate when that happens!

Lisa - Whatever works :)
J.L. Campbell said…
Carol,

I can so relate to that shiny idea that won't give you a break until you finally write it down.
Lydia Kang said…
Aw, hey! I'm on the list! That is a great list. I agree with every single one!
Carol Kilgore said…
J.L. - Yep. I've got one right now :)

Lydia - TaDa!
Hi Carol - I LOVE all of these. Every one of them. So fun and TRUE!
Carol Kilgore said…
RaShelle - We all identify with them, that's for sure.
Janet, said…
I like these! I've been having trouble lately finding enough time to do all the writing I want to do. Too many different ideas coming at me all at once that I want to work on. I don't have a 'day job', but I think my husband sometimes gets tired of seeing me at the computer.
Carol Kilgore said…
Janet - That happens! The best ideas stick around.

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