Can I get some assistants?
John Bowe author of Nobodies mentions having a few writing assistants.
This morning on the Bob Edwards show Naomi Klein, most well-known for her book No Logo, mentions having seven writing assistants and four lawyers helping her with her latest book, The Shock Doctrine.
What the heck does a writing assistant do? Do they come up with ideas and themes in the book only to have their hard work yield them the obscurity of a one-sentence mention in the acknowledgements? It would be nice to have someone scouring archives and libraries for works and stories relevant to my own, but I just can’t imagine having to manage a team of seven assistants and four lawyers. I guess I’m naïve in thinking that a writer is a person not a small business.
I should confess – I have one assistant. But she’s not much more than a furry paperweight. When she decides to bless me with her assistance, she sprawls across my lap or my notes for a few minutes before deciding that I need bit or clawed. The best idea she has had during the writing process was to jump off my lap before hocking up a hair ball.
She may be a lousy writing assistant, but I doubt that Bowe nor Klein love their writing assistants half as much as I love mine. She’s got her furry little paws around my heart and enough attitude to fill four lawyers.
I guess your assistant gives little assitstance (oh don’t you just love *words*?), but then maybe you’re not a nobody needing to feel like you’re a somebody! (I really shouldn’t knock Mr Nobodies, sorry, coz his book does look intriguing….and just for your information, I really do prefer your writing style to Mrs No Logo’s – make sure you keep it in your book!)
Thanks Rachael. I did type the wrong forms of assitants/ce during this post. I think I corrected them.
I prepared my library list this morning and I can’t imagine telling someone, “Get these. And if there is anything else that looks interesting bring that too. By the way could you pick me up lunch on the way back.”
Personally, I like visiting the library. I can’t imagine I would ever want an assistant to do it for me.
My style comes down to the Dave Barry advice I shared the other day: “Do things, not think things.” To much research would bore the bejeesus out of me anyhow. But enough to keep 11 people busy would drive me bonkers.
you got your assist-wahtever spot on – but “too much”….double o please…where’s your uncle randy? He’s pretty good on the typos!
Darn double-o! What’s really bad is win I type “won” for “one” or “win” for “when.” I try to type with my brain, but often end up doing it with my ear.