For Kicks: Dealing with Haters

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Apparently a lot of children’s writers get this.

 

Rude person: So, when are you going to, yanno, write real literature? Like, yanno, not for children?

Writer: (speechless)

OR

Rude Person: So, when are you going to work your way up to adult literature?

Writer: (speechless)

OR

Rude Person: You surely must plan to write literary fiction or adult fiction, right? Right?

Writer: (speechless)

Here’s some great responses I’ve found on the web various places if you ever find yourself faced with similar situations:

“Sure it’s simple writing for kids…Just as simple as bringing them up.” –Ursula LeGuin

“You must write for children the same way you do for adults, only better.” –Maxim Gorky

“That’s rather like asking a pediatrician when he’s going to provide medical care to REAL people”

“I know what you mean about children’s literature.  Books like Charlotte’s Web and Little Women and the Harry Potter books–they just never went anywhere, did they?”–someon on the Verla Kay boards

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”–Madeleine L’Engle

“Because my husband won’t let me write porn.” –E.L Konigsburg

“What, you mean like Danielle Steele?”–Blue Boarder

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Filed under For Kicks

Tags: Harry Potter, Verla Kay Blue Boards, writing for children, Ursula LeGuin, children's writers, Maxim Gorky, Charlotte's Web, Little Women, Madeleine L'Engle, E.L. Konigsburg, Danielle Steele