Spotted this link over at the Blog of a Bookslut, in which various writers proclaim their passion for particular typefaces. I know that part of being a writer is an interest in things that other people may find dull. After all, while the results might be enthralling, the actual work of writing something can be quite dull, if some poor reader were to watch the process in action.

But, for the writer, it helps if the process is interesting. Even if this means developing an interest in subject matter that is of little concern to people of other professions.

Frankly, I think it’s kind of a miracle that books get written at all, and it’s no wonder that lots of writers have their particular props and fetishes. (Surely you’ve heard of all the stories regarding nudity’s effect on writing, or the sitting vs. standing debate.)

The problem is when people that want to write pay too much attention to those who that actually write, when they talk about their props. The aspirant, who may desperately want to write something, but just cannot bring him or herself to sit down and do it, often looks for something to break through that minor inhibition.

At least, that’s how is was for me. I tried everything; mood lighting, switching to a typewriter — and, changing my fonts around. I must have gone through a million of those virus-encrusted, hard-drive deadening, $5.00 font packs that they sell in the less reputable part of the local office supply store. I obsessed over fonts, studied them, dreamt about them — but no; I still could not get any actual writing done.

As it turned out, all I needed to get going was The Clash’s London Calling, and half a pack of cigarettes. So all of that time spent working with typefaces was basically wasted.

Then again, I have no trouble writing, but I am not yet published because what I write is total crap. Maybe if I switch to Courier though…