tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post4015206841846804788..comments2024-03-26T07:33:18.502-04:00Comments on WordWranglers: After the partyMargiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843006118151762550noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-20596905527966952232014-09-04T15:22:17.428-04:002014-09-04T15:22:17.428-04:00Me, too, Shawn!Me, too, Shawn!Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-91143385618591189642014-09-03T21:22:51.615-04:002014-09-03T21:22:51.615-04:00Believe me, I know how you feel about stereotypes....Believe me, I know how you feel about stereotypes. I love stories that don't "type cast" their characters.Shawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04264060298236728344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-72637137384522283822014-09-03T07:36:17.916-04:002014-09-03T07:36:17.916-04:00She said it well, didn't she? Thanks for comin...She said it well, didn't she? Thanks for coming by, Margie.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-63171448844914225572014-09-02T20:57:16.011-04:002014-09-02T20:57:16.011-04:00Interesting conversation, Liz. I loved reading the...Interesting conversation, Liz. I loved reading the insights of people from all around the country and from such varied walks of life. <br /><br />And I heartily agree with Valley's assessment. Margiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03843006118151762550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-85047931068301755802014-09-01T12:55:08.174-04:002014-09-01T12:55:08.174-04:00Oh yes, oh yes, you said it so much better than I ...Oh yes, oh yes, you said it so much better than I could! That's EXACTLY what I mean. Thank you so much for coming by.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-6284048187595633522014-09-01T12:53:35.738-04:002014-09-01T12:53:35.738-04:00Lol. There are a few, aren't there, that have ...Lol. There are a few, aren't there, that have you snorting laughter with your old best friend in the restroom because, really, haven't they evolved at all? But maybe we've also become more accepting of our differences, too.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-38506368216858182592014-09-01T12:37:57.825-04:002014-09-01T12:37:57.825-04:00You seem to have struck a resonating chord in a lo...You seem to have struck a resonating chord in a lot of us, Liz. I was born and raised in a small Midwest town, and while I now live in a much larger place and have traveled extensively, I am most comfortable where I am. I went to my 40th Class Reunion last year. It was fascinating to see the changes - or lack thereof - in those who came. Even so, those who never left town had changed. They were hardly the stereotypic hayseeds that seem to populate fiction. Those who moved away were scattered across the globe, not just America. It was a slice of rampant diversity, not stereotypes. I would agree that the use of stereotypes provides automatic frames of reference for a reader, but more than that, it perpetuates unfortunate labels that are no longer true and relevant. As writers, we all need to push that envelope with our editors and readers. How else will our work reflect our reality?Valley Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11042757519947834133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-53902676714123513292014-09-01T12:30:49.758-04:002014-09-01T12:30:49.758-04:00So true about stereotypes and overuse in all kinds...So true about stereotypes and overuse in all kinds of communication--books as well as advertising. It's such a shortcut to transmit a specific intention. As for changing--for the first few reunions of my class, the members seemed to fall back into their 'roles' in high school. In later years, however, many of the people did demonstrate changes. It was interesting to note the few who still remained true to their high school 'type.' Good, thoughtful post!Barbara Bettishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16540961829243251471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-47769894949257560512014-09-01T11:23:21.760-04:002014-09-01T11:23:21.760-04:00That makes me sad. I don't know that we change...That makes me sad. I don't know that we changed, but we grew up. "Mean girls" aren't mean anymore; they're grandmothers. Jocks aren't jocks anymore; they play golf and watch TV. No one talks about money or even jobs. I'm sure there is some truth to stereotypes, but that doesn't make me like them and I think their overuse in books makes for boring reading. (Go ahead, Liz, let us know how you feel! )<br /><br />Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-38415138627590055732014-09-01T11:19:58.641-04:002014-09-01T11:19:58.641-04:00Thanks, Ashantay. I literally put down a book rece...Thanks, Ashantay. I literally put down a book recently because the waitress who was waiting on the protagonist couple flirted openly with the man and ignored the woman. I swear this wasn't in waitress-training school, but I'll bet I've read the same thing 100 times!<br />Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-49094335709603611772014-09-01T11:18:01.366-04:002014-09-01T11:18:01.366-04:00I think you're right, Nan, and the losses brin...I think you're right, Nan, and the losses bring us closer, too, as sad as that is.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-7250622444500805342014-09-01T11:13:54.754-04:002014-09-01T11:13:54.754-04:00Great post! My class had 18 in it and one class re...Great post! My class had 18 in it and one class reunion. No one had changed since HS. I doubt I'll do another, although I'm being pushed to organize one by a guy from my class. I think stereotypes exist b/c there is some truth to them. D'Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05333880627045486088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-74108593612846780422014-09-01T11:05:38.123-04:002014-09-01T11:05:38.123-04:00Great post. I think people put others in boxes bec...Great post. I think people put others in boxes because it allows the put-ee a sense of control in a crazy world. When we define others using a set of criteria, it's easier to know how to deal with them. "Oh, I've seen that before - I know what will happen next." "That guy's a joker, no need to take him seriously." Writers often give their readers clues about their characters in the same way. We miss so much when we close our minds and hearts to the world around us. Thanks for the reminder to honor diversity.Ashantayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16122891967983778466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-71206905417130235972014-09-01T10:46:54.367-04:002014-09-01T10:46:54.367-04:00Great post, Liz! Yes, this is the way we should wr...Great post, Liz! Yes, this is the way we should write people--like real life. My high school class is having a 60th birthday party at the end of the month--as it happens, I'm one of the oldest and I'll turn 61 the day before the event. We were part of a large metropolitan high school (678 in my graduating class), but now, some 40-odd years later, the 50 or so of us who will attend the party are all connected. I'm not sure if it's actually because we all graduated together--I think it has more to do with all of us needing to hold on to a little of the history we share in a world that has gotten so much bigger since 1972...Nanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08809913527142033733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-31820253369147016322014-09-01T09:51:17.987-04:002014-09-01T09:51:17.987-04:00I agree, Marlow, and I don't think we do it in...I agree, Marlow, and I don't think we do it in demographic clusters. :-) Thanks for coming by!Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-22339419079931139232014-09-01T09:46:43.161-04:002014-09-01T09:46:43.161-04:00I've lived in different countries, and differe...I've lived in different countries, and different towns and cities. I've lived in small prairie farming communities and large metropolitian cities. In some ways people are very similiar. Most of us want to care for our families, work, get paid. But we all have different hopes, dreams and Idiosyncrasies that add to the flavour of humanity.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03050841921811007623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-71482388758382493612014-09-01T09:25:59.623-04:002014-09-01T09:25:59.623-04:00It's fun to catch up. It's as though, like...It's fun to catch up. It's as though, like siblings, even though we may not see each other for years at a stretch, there are people out there who know what you know and feel what you feel because they were there. Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-67729660297968200162014-09-01T09:05:23.576-04:002014-09-01T09:05:23.576-04:00Nice post. I'm from a small town too. Boaz Mis...Nice post. I'm from a small town too. Boaz Missouri. Never had a class reunion, although I do run into people from time to time. Would love to know what people have done with their lives.Shirleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04337958837908666504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-28676840227187553822014-09-01T08:32:13.923-04:002014-09-01T08:32:13.923-04:00Right, and it's something I wish either market...Right, and it's something I wish either marketing or editing or someone would get a clue about.Liz Flahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794565644883272260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133132309124375119.post-75703546639042338972014-09-01T08:28:49.481-04:002014-09-01T08:28:49.481-04:00I have lived all over this country....which was in...I have lived all over this country....which was in keeping with my family's penchant for moving on. I've lived in cities and small towns and in the country. I've lived in the south, the east, the west and the midwest. I've lived in poor neighborhoods and upscale ones. I haven't really noticed that people are all that much different....or rather, they are alike in their differences. As you say, you simply can't slot individuals based on where they are from. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05713620060552827217noreply@blogger.com