WriteLady
10-13-2006, 03:27 PM
As a beginning writer I read lots of how-to books; they all seemed to say the same thing: "stick to subjects you know about and are passionate about." Being a person who likes to take chances and occasionally break the rules, I disregarded that gem of information.
Hence the warning to all writers: be careful what you write about, it just might come back to haunt you! Becoming an expert on a subject is usually good for a writer’s career. However, what happens if you become an expert on a subject you really don’t like? This happened to me after I wrote a children’s article for our state’s conservation magazine. I carefully researched back issues and found that they had never run an article about bats. For some reason kids love bats--but I’m not a big fan. I didn’t let my lack of enthusiasm for the small mammals keep me from writing the article; I wrote it, sold it, cashed the check and lived happily ever after. Well, not quite...I had no idea how that one article about bats would affect my life. You see, since writing the piece--several years ago--I’ve been dubbed “The Bat Lady” by those who’ve read the article. You would be surprised at how many people actually read conservation magazines, and how many people remember the author's name!
"The Bat Lady" title in itself isn’t so bad; in fact, my husband will confess that sometimes I am a little batty. But the fact that I really don’t like bats makes the name tag a little hard to wear. I was unprepared to deal with my "celebrity status" and with the batty situations that would ensue.
One evening I received a phone call from my neighbor; we had lived in the town for a couple of months so I was glad for the opportunity to talk to her.
“Didn’t you hear me screaming?” the out-of-breath woman asked. “I’ve been chasing a bat around my house for an hour, and finally I thought about you and your article—aren’t you the bat lady?”
It’s true, I did do a lot of research about bats, and I did write an article about the benefits of bats, but I didn’t know a thing about getting bats out of a house. I quickly admitted this to Barb, who quickly ended the conversation with a loud sigh of aggravation as she hung up the phone. Later, I learned that the bat had been caught and given to a conservation agent who released it far away from Barb's house. The problem was solved; or so I thought.
A few nights later, Barb was outside her house at dusk and happened to look up at the sky. Were those birds? No, they were bats flying into her attic—she had a full-fledged bat colony living in her house! Again, my phone rang.
“How do I get rid of a colony of bats?” the disturbed voice on the other end of the phone line asked. “Sorry,” I said. “All I did was write one article about the benefits of bats.” Trying to end the conversation on a positive note, I added, “I've heard that your husband is into gardening. Please let him know that bat guano--bat poop--makes great fertilizer!” A disgusted sound came from the other end of the line, then a dial tone.
The next day I was substitute teaching at the local elementary school when a fourth grade teacher approached me, “Didn’t you write that article about bats?” I am the official bat lady around town, I thought begrudgingly. “I’m so glad to finally meet you,” she said, smiling like she’d just met a "real" celebrity. “You are?” I said cautiously, hoping she wasn’t about to ask me how to get rid of bats in her attic.
“I read your article and wondered if you would like to do a science unit on bats for my class?” she eagerly asked. Later that week, I shared all my bat facts with two fourth grade classes. They were especially interested in hearing about my neighbor’s infestation of bats. You see, Barb works in the school cafeteria in our small town--all the children know her.
That evening my phone rang, “Thanks a lot,” said Barb in the disgusted tone I had become familiar with hearing. “For what?” I asked. “For telling the kids at school about my bat problem, now they’re all calling me ‘The Bat Lady’.”
“Welcome to the club,” I said smiling.
Hence the warning to all writers: be careful what you write about, it just might come back to haunt you! Becoming an expert on a subject is usually good for a writer’s career. However, what happens if you become an expert on a subject you really don’t like? This happened to me after I wrote a children’s article for our state’s conservation magazine. I carefully researched back issues and found that they had never run an article about bats. For some reason kids love bats--but I’m not a big fan. I didn’t let my lack of enthusiasm for the small mammals keep me from writing the article; I wrote it, sold it, cashed the check and lived happily ever after. Well, not quite...I had no idea how that one article about bats would affect my life. You see, since writing the piece--several years ago--I’ve been dubbed “The Bat Lady” by those who’ve read the article. You would be surprised at how many people actually read conservation magazines, and how many people remember the author's name!
"The Bat Lady" title in itself isn’t so bad; in fact, my husband will confess that sometimes I am a little batty. But the fact that I really don’t like bats makes the name tag a little hard to wear. I was unprepared to deal with my "celebrity status" and with the batty situations that would ensue.
One evening I received a phone call from my neighbor; we had lived in the town for a couple of months so I was glad for the opportunity to talk to her.
“Didn’t you hear me screaming?” the out-of-breath woman asked. “I’ve been chasing a bat around my house for an hour, and finally I thought about you and your article—aren’t you the bat lady?”
It’s true, I did do a lot of research about bats, and I did write an article about the benefits of bats, but I didn’t know a thing about getting bats out of a house. I quickly admitted this to Barb, who quickly ended the conversation with a loud sigh of aggravation as she hung up the phone. Later, I learned that the bat had been caught and given to a conservation agent who released it far away from Barb's house. The problem was solved; or so I thought.
A few nights later, Barb was outside her house at dusk and happened to look up at the sky. Were those birds? No, they were bats flying into her attic—she had a full-fledged bat colony living in her house! Again, my phone rang.
“How do I get rid of a colony of bats?” the disturbed voice on the other end of the phone line asked. “Sorry,” I said. “All I did was write one article about the benefits of bats.” Trying to end the conversation on a positive note, I added, “I've heard that your husband is into gardening. Please let him know that bat guano--bat poop--makes great fertilizer!” A disgusted sound came from the other end of the line, then a dial tone.
The next day I was substitute teaching at the local elementary school when a fourth grade teacher approached me, “Didn’t you write that article about bats?” I am the official bat lady around town, I thought begrudgingly. “I’m so glad to finally meet you,” she said, smiling like she’d just met a "real" celebrity. “You are?” I said cautiously, hoping she wasn’t about to ask me how to get rid of bats in her attic.
“I read your article and wondered if you would like to do a science unit on bats for my class?” she eagerly asked. Later that week, I shared all my bat facts with two fourth grade classes. They were especially interested in hearing about my neighbor’s infestation of bats. You see, Barb works in the school cafeteria in our small town--all the children know her.
That evening my phone rang, “Thanks a lot,” said Barb in the disgusted tone I had become familiar with hearing. “For what?” I asked. “For telling the kids at school about my bat problem, now they’re all calling me ‘The Bat Lady’.”
“Welcome to the club,” I said smiling.