What do you say when people ask you what you're writing at the moment? For example, you've just been asked that very same question and have responded by saying, 'Oh, I'm a writer! Thank you very much for asking!' with a look of genuine surprise and satisfaction, and they've then said, 'That is interesting. So, what are you writing at the moment?'
I've recently taken to saying, 'Well, I'm between chapters at the moment.' which seems to nullify them long enough for me to excuse myself and find another drink, or someone else less demanding to talk to, like my wife for instance.
This could be a rhetorical question, so forgive me if it is. Now that I've written it I'm really not sure.
I've really enjoyed reading the answers to this question. My favourite is the "lead with the right then slam them with the left" double-answer by Kate Baxter.
I'm in the lucky position of having printed out copies of my book, so it's usually ME who brings up the subject... and if my victims are particularly unlucky, I'll whip out a copy from under my black cloak (with scarlet lining, of course) and ask them to have a look at it... then show them my teeth (known in the trade as "smiling") while waiting for their opinion.
Writing's a thing one tends to start while otherwise employed, and continue while still otherwise employed. So it strikes me it's difficult to consider oneself 'a writer' unless putting words one in front of the other provides a reasonable proportion of income.
Or maybe that's just me. I tend to get 'how do you find the time?' from those who know I write, rather than 'how's the book going?'. To which my answer in either case is usually 'slowly'. *Sighs*
Um... I didn't think this question was actually a question, but I suppose it is somehow, and has got me thinking about an answer to my own question, which is a little strange.
Anyway, I've decided that the very next time I tell someone that I'm a Writer, and they then say something like, 'Oh, that is interesting! What have you written?' I'm going to answer, 'Emails, f*cking thousands of them!' and then run and hide in a cupboard somewhere.
I'll let you know how it works out.