Wednesday 29 June 2011

Writing Lessons From Cats

1. Cats choose who to approach for stroking. Writers should choose their supporters and feedback givers with equal care.

2. When cats are hungry they persistently mew until they get fed. Writers who don't send work out aren't mewing, and won't get fed.

3. Cats defend their territory against all comers including big dogs. Writers should hang on to the truth in their work, even when faced with negative Dobermans but....

4. Cats are flexible, and writers need to be flexible too.

5. Cats are meticulous about grooming their fur. Writers need to groom their prose with equal attention to detail (but they don't have to do the leg in the air bit).

6. Cats come in all shapes and sizes, and so do writers.

7. All cats are beautiful, from pedigree to moggy. Writers are beautiful too, whatever the genre and style of their writing.

8. Cats that lie around all day doing nothing become fat and flabby. Sadly, this is also true for writers.

(My thanks to Tootsie and Toasty for inspiring this post.)

8 comments:

Jenny Haddon said...

And, oh boy do cats FOCUS: one thing at a time and they don't stop till they get it.

Hmm, think you're on to something here.

Alison Morton said...

You have just described our cat George!

They say dogs have owners, cats have staff. Writers, too, need back-up and support to take care of the everyday (Well, as much as they can shuffle off on to others.).

catdownunder said...

Purrup!

Sarah Duncan said...

Loving these furrrrther lessons from cats...

More, more!

Unknown said...

Brilliant, and you've reminded me - I have to get mewing.

wannabe a writer said...

What a fantastic blog post - spot on. Must get back to my grooming.

Victoria said...

Except for the odd times when he launches himself onto the keyboard (it happened last night) my cat William is perfect company when I'm writing. He is quiet, amiable and endlessly reassuring.

Sarah Duncan said...

Good luck with all the mewing and grooming that's going on.

Victoria, you're lucky with your cat. If Toasty deigned to join me in the office, she liked to stand on my lap with her bottom in my face. Or if I was working in bed, she'd mastered the 'let's knock the glass of water over the laptop' move. She was not conducive to writing.