My writing pal, Riley
Welcome to my blog, where I plan to offer writing tips and ramblings on being a writer from Minnesota. This is my first official blog post, and I can’t think of a better way to start than to talk about my dog because, after all, writers and dogs go hand-in-paw. Currently, I’m on dog number three of my writing career, and I’ve come to realize that I can’t write without a four-legged companion at my side. I tried once, between dog number one and dog number two, but that little hiatus lasted a mere six weeks before I caved in to my canine fetish.
Now, I understand how some writers may not want a dog or can’t have one because of allergies, the extra expense, a new baby, etc. But if you’re a writer and you don’t have a good reason not to get a dog, here are some excellent reasons why you should:
A dog will help curb your loneliness. Writing is a solitary business, and while you need peace and quiet to write, you can also get lonely at your desk all day. A dog won’t bother you with conversation, but his constant presence will remind you that you’re not alone. Sometimes, that’s all we writers need.
A dog is a good listener. Of course, if you want to talk, a dog is all ears. You can tell him about that sentence you’re struggling with or read him a part of your manuscript – it doesn’t matter what you have to say; he’ll listen to anything. Who knows? He might even turn out to be the perfect sounding board.
A dog won’t reject you. That’s right, a dog will never, ever make you feel bad about your writing, no matter how bad your day is going. You might receive six rejections in the mail and be ready to hand in the towel, but your dog will still look at you like your God’s gift to the writing world. How reaffirming is that?
A dog gives you a reason to take a break. Taking breaks can be a challenge for writers, especially if we’re really on a roll. But a dog makes you take a break. When he’s gotta go, you’ve gotta get off your butt and let him out – or better yet, he’ll give you a good reason to go for a walk and get some much needed exercise.
A dog offers a plethora of writing ideas. In case you haven’t noticed, dogs are hot topics among readers today. Living with a dog will give you all kinds of things to write about, from personal anecdotes to dog health issues to specific breed information. Just don’t make the mistake I did and think that your dog idea is too dumb to sell. Trust me, no idea is too dumb. Read about it here.
For those of you writers who have a dog, I’d love to hear how your canine contributes to your writing life.
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