dating yourself?

[sheablue]

No, no, I'm not talking about taking yourself out for dinner and a movie and hoping for a bit of a tickle afterward ...


Today I felt old. Not only because I have arthritis in my back and it hurts ...



I was at a get-together for kindergarten parents at one of the little girl's house. It was all moms, but there is one single dad who likes to make it to these little outings, and I applaud him in his willingness to hang out with all the ladies. He grew up in this neighborhood, and mentioned that he graduated from the local high school in ... 2003!!! What?

It made me feel so old! I graduated from high school in 1990!

And it made me think about writing ... are there things you aspire to keep out of your stories, or to put in them, to keep yourself from sounding dated?

I mean, we're all on the internet, so we've got enough of a grasp of technology to not sound like a dinosaur when writing, and I like to think I'm kind of young and keep up with technology, music, books, that young people are into ... but I have to admit there are definitely things out there that the young people are into that I know nothing about.

Does anyone do research to keep their younger characters sounding authentic? How do we keep up as writers who continue to age? Do you find yourself writing about older characters the older you get?

Anyone have directions to the Fountain of Youth?

 

[jomar]

Snapchat? What's that?

 

[patientlee]

No, no, I'm not talking about taking yourself out for dinner and a movie and hoping for a bit of a tickle afterward ...


Today I felt old. Not only because I have arthritis in my back and it hurts ...



I was at a get-together for kindergarten parents at one of the little girl's house. It was all moms, but there is one single dad who likes to make it to these little outings, and I applaud him in his willingness to hang out with all the ladies. He grew up in this neighborhood, and mentioned that he graduated from the local high school in ... 2003!!! What?

It made me feel so old! I graduated from high school in 1990!

And it made me think about writing ... are there things you aspire to keep out of your stories, or to put in them, to keep yourself from sounding dated?

I mean, we're all on the internet, so we've got enough of a grasp of technology to not sound like a dinosaur when writing, and I like to think I'm kind of young and keep up with technology, music, books, that young people are into ... but I have to admit there are definitely things out there that the young people are into that I know nothing about.

Does anyone do research to keep their younger characters sounding authentic? How do we keep up as writers who continue to age? Do you find yourself writing about older characters the older you get?

Anyone have directions to the Fountain of Youth?

Teach high school.

Oh. Wait. That's the route to an early grave.

I graduated in 1990 too.

 

[lovecraft68]

I would have graduated in 86.

I have no problem with keeping up with the younger people because between my daughters, their friends and boyfriends( and one soon to be toothless son in law) I hear more than I need to of "modern lingo"

 

[_Lynn_]

For the arthritis. I get injections in my back every two months.

I'm old. I don't hide my age.

My characters are as young as five. I'm not sure what the oldest is, but I'm guessing about sixty. The ages are whatever the story needs them to be.

 

[Swilly]

Yeah. Having kids helps. Most of what I write doesn't offer a tell, but I did have one comment that questioned the age of a character because he wore an LL Bean shirt. I was shocked, but there you go.

 

[MSTarot]

My biggest fear is that my late teen characters sound like late thirties people.

I have to do weird things to make them sound right. Predominantly the word "LIKE" must be used fifteen times in every sentence.

I don't think I even like the word "like" anymore.

 

[Doopey]

I dated myself once, just once. My problem was that I felt very dirty can cheap afterwards.

 

[patientlee]

I dated myself once, just once. My problem was that I felt very dirty can cheap afterwards.

Quit trying to cheer me up.

 

[Doopey]

Quit trying to cheer me up.

So no pie then?

 

[lovecraft68]

Two of my personalities had an affair once, does that count?

 

[MSTarot]

I dated myself once, just once. My problem was that I felt very dirty can cheap afterwards.

Just once?

 

[lovecraft68]

My biggest fear is that my late teen characters sound like late thirties people.

I have to do weird things to make them sound right. Predominantly the word "LIKE" must be used fifteen times in every sentence.

I don't think I even like the word "like" anymore.

The word really is ruined for me. Everything with my daughters is "Really?"

 

[patientlee]

The word really is ruined for me. Everything with my daughters is "Really?"

At my house it's "seriously?"

When my little guy was 3, I used one of those sports bottle toppers with a straw as a cork for a bottle of wine. He took one look and said, "Seriously, mom? With a straw?"

Seriously.

 

[Swilly]

The word really is ruined for me. Everything with my daughters is "Really?"

No shit?

 

[patientlee]

So no pie then?

My mother's pie is better.

 

[Swilly]

At my house it's "seriously?"

When my little guy was 3, I used one of those sports bottle toppers with a straw as a cork for a bottle of wine. He took one look and said, "Seriously, mom? With a straw?"

Seriously.

Seriously? You didn't finish the bottle?

My youngest is big on seriously too.

 

[Swilly]

My mother's pie is better.

Wrong category.

 

[patientlee]

Wrong category.

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought this was the bakery aisle.

 

[Doopey]

Just once?

Yeah, I was cheap and dirty. I never called him back.

 

[Doopey]

My mother's pie is better.

So your saying I should go have your mothers pie?

 

[Privates1stClass]

Anyone have directions to the Fountain of Youth?

Yes, they average about six inches long, and every sixteen-year-old boy has one.

 

[patientlee]

My mother's pie is better.

Seriously. This banana cream isn't great. The chocolate is ok. The beer is decent though.

Seriously.

 

[patientlee]

So your saying I should go have your mothers pie?

No. I'm saying that you should learn to make pie instead of buying it at the bakery. Ask my mother for the recipe.

 

[Doopey]

Seriously. This banana cream isn't great. The chocolate is ok. The beer is decent though.

Seriously.

Will you be eating also, that would be like a fantasy or something.