Today I received a short list of interview questions about my writing career, for a Q&A that will appear in a departmental newsletter at my office. They’re all good questions (I especially like, “Do you have any advice for [coworkers] who are looking for a creative outlet outside of work?”), but the whole thing got me wondering:
Those of you authors who hold down a full-time job in addition to your writing work, what are the most startling, awkward, baffling, or otherwise far-out questions that your coworkers (or bosses) have ever asked about your literary pursuits?
Where can I buy your book at Barnes & Noble?
Answer: It’s not there yet. Thanks for making me feel worthless.
Where can I buy your book at Barnes & Noble?
Answer: It’s not there yet. Thanks for making me feel worthless.
I don’t have an answer for your main question, but as for your interview question about what employees can do for creative outlets outside of work, my last job was in a department full of technical writers, and some of my co-workers arranged several departmental “Creative Outlet Nights” at people’s homes outside of work. I didn’t manage to make it to one, but I heard that they included things like skits, poetry readings, songs, art displays, and even viewings of short films created by people in the department. I can’t imagine not having any creative outlets outside of work, just like I couldn’t imagine not having any creative outlets outside of school when I was doing theatre in high school!
I don’t have an answer for your main question, but as for your interview question about what employees can do for creative outlets outside of work, my last job was in a department full of technical writers, and some of my co-workers arranged several departmental “Creative Outlet Nights” at people’s homes outside of work. I didn’t manage to make it to one, but I heard that they included things like skits, poetry readings, songs, art displays, and even viewings of short films created by people in the department. I can’t imagine not having any creative outlets outside of work, just like I couldn’t imagine not having any creative outlets outside of school when I was doing theatre in high school!