a short but pointed rant

The next writer who I see refer to themselves as “the unwashed unpublished” will be hunted down and publicly flogged by two large and burly Samoans, one or both of whom will be named Butch.

Have some respect for yourselves, people. You’re aspiring writers, not street urchins.

I am so sick of this sniveling terminology and the insidious way it seems to have spread its icky, cancerous tentacles across the blogosphere. You’re writers! You should understand what kind of power words have. Do not cast yourself as spineless, witless, feckless beggars. When you call yourself “the unwashed unpublished,” I have less respect for you, so I can only imagine what industry people feel. (Note: when you call yourself “an unpublished writer,” I feel nothing but camaraderie, sisterhood, kindred spiritness, whatever.)

Get this straight: EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO IS A PUBLISHED WRITER WAS ONCE AN UNPUBLISHED WRITER. Every single one.

And take a shower, for Pete’s sake, if it bothers you that much.