I came across an answer to a question in my Quora feed, which set me thinking. The supposition is that women find writers attractive, and, presumably vice-versa:
Why do women find writers attractive? – Quora
I don’t write to be fanciable
, more because the stories are in me and insist on coming out. But, thinking of qualities shown by a potential mate, her being a writer would be desirable to me. At least I’d know something of why she was behaving in that strange way from my own experience!
Reading through Derreck Frost’s list, I realised that I’ve done several things that he claims make a writer attractive. I’ve dedicated books to female friends, based two recurring characters on close friends (with their permission) and talked about my writing in emails. This has resulted in useful feedback, so I knew I wasn’t waffling and boring them.
Margaret Atwood was dismissive of readers seeking out writers:
“Wanting to meet an author because you like his work is like wanting to meet a duck because you like pâté.”
Nevertheless, publishers choose the best-looking photograph of their author clients to adorn the book jacket…sometimes, these shots are twenty-years-old. Attractive people sell commercial products better than uglies.
We decided Writers Are Sexy! in an old thread, but are we more attractive than ‘normal’ people?
How irresistible do you feel?
