Hey, writers. It’s good to see you here instead of hard at work on your current writing project. Of course, we know that it’s important to have some downtime and to have a bit of a laugh, which is why we’ve collected these 77 fun memes that do a rather good job of poking fun at the truth of what it is to be a writer. Have fun checking them out. You might just see a bit of yourself in them.
“Why Can’t You Just Get Your Book Published?”
Just tell a publisher to publish the book…. You beautiful genius, why didn’t we writers think of that?
Writers When They’re Determined to Do Anything
Why finish a book when there are so many other important things to do, like, well, anything except finish? After all, the crevices in the keyboard don’t clean themselves, do they?
Getting Those Thoughts Down on Paper
It always feels like the best characters are trapped inside our big brains, but we aren’t quite smart enough to help them get out and on the page.
How I Tell a Story
Does this sound familiar? It’s not our fault. What some may see as scatterbrained, we can tell ourselves, is simply a mad genius at work.
When You Find a Typo in a Published Book
Ah, yes, the dichotomy of typos. It feels so good when you find a typo in someone else’s published book, but so bad when you see one in your own.
Red Pill or Blue Pill?
Overcomplicating things and spending hours creating the perfect Spotify playlist for a story that will never see the light of day hits close to home, doesn’t it?
Respond to Bad Reviews
All publicity’s good publicity, right? While bad reviews aren’t going to do you any favors, lashing out against a reviewer will hurt your brand… no matter how good it might feel.
Picking Between Past and Present Tenses
Few things make writers tenser than talking about tenses.
I Just Hope I Find It Along the Way
This is how a lot of great stories start. It’s also how a lot of manifestos tend to start, so be careful.
Rewriting the Beginning 50 Times
The middle is where many writers fear to tread. Surely, if you just tweak the beginning another one or fifty times, the middle will be easier.
Who’s Been Keeping Me From Writing
Writing isn’t easy, but it’s a lot harder when your biggest obstacle to getting things done is the weirdo staring back at you from the mirror.
The World Right Now
The real world can be a bummer. It’s no wonder writers spend so much time in their own heads. It’s often the best place to be.
Writing vs. Editing the First Draft
It appears you even threw the kitchen sink into the first draft. Sounds good now, but just wait until you have to edit.
Two Kinds of People
Want to make a writer curse like Yosemite Sam and fight like a Spartan? Go ahead and dogear the pages in their favorite books.
Most Difficult Things About Writing
Admit it. We’ve all gone down the rabbit hole of character names for hours and days on end, searching for that perfect name with meaning, history, and gravitas. And then we wind up using Jack or Kate because it’s easier to type.
The Present Tense
With this type of tense problem, it might just be easier to give up and learn a completely new skill. Maybe basketweaving.
“Your Parents Are Dead”
Seriously, how many characters have one or more dead parents to give them “character”? In literature and pop culture, from Bambi to Batman, parents have it rough.
My First Draft
Your brain is a wonderful, powerful tool, but that first draft always comes out like a child’s first finger painting. It’s messy, it might be a dog or a dinosaur, but it can be turned into something special. Probably.
When Someone Finds Your First Draft
The only thing worse than cringing when reading your first draft is finding out that someone else has seen your first draft.
“I Trusted You”
Just keep telling yourself that it’s only a fictional death. Tell your therapist and your tissue box the same thing.
Being a Good Writer
And here you are… reading these memes and telling yourself that it’s still “writing work” because you are “getting ready”.
A Day in the Life of a Writer
Hey, this is rather accurate, except we’re missing the parts about feeling like an imposter and wondering whether that new show you want to stream is out yet.
Genius Level of an Author
Even worse is the location where you tend to have those great ideas. We all know that it’s usually in the bathroom.
I Think I Did a Pretty Good Job
If only we all had this kind of confidence in ourselves as writers! Honestly, though, don’t write reviews for yourself… the Internet will find you and make sure you know how wrong you are.
I Wonder if…
Well, this is a great way to start a horror story. Now what happens when they start trying to get in touch with you?
How I Feel When I Write a Plot Twist
Oh, that plot twist feels so great when you come up with it… until you realize that you confused twist with a trope.
Trying to Work Out if the Plot Ties Together
Plot seems easy, but we all know it’s not. It’s like doing long division in your head while walking barefoot across a floor filled with Legos.
The List of Books That I’ve Actually Finished Writing
Yeah… but at least you have a list.
Writing in the Middle of the Night
Honestly, there’s not much of a difference between vampires and writers, except that vampires tend to be more organized and better dressers.
I Will Find You
It’s not a lack of ideas that plagues most writers. It’s the lack of a pen and paper to write them down while on the toilet.
Brace Yourself and Kill the Character
Yes, kill the character, but make sure you wear gloves and bury the body deep.
I Have No Memory of This Place
This is where you convince yourself that you never really liked the story, so you can start that new idea.
Writer
If we’re being honest, most of us are actually some combination of the first and the sixth image here. I mean, we sometimes look at a sheet of paper.
When You Write Something Really Dark
And then you start to worry about the authorities checking your online search history.
Me Listening to Music While Writing
We all know that we have those ideal “theme songs” for everything we write. Don’t pretend you’re any different.
The Reality of My Writing
With a little massaging and edits even this could work… or not.
When People Try to Read Your Unfinished Writing
This is when it’s time to start poking at some eyes and smacking hands.
New Project vs. Unfinished Projects
There’s nothing sweeter than the kernel of a new idea. Until you’ve actually thought about it and played around a bit. Then there’s that next new idea.
My Creativity
Creativity is like the friend who tries to hype you up to do something dangerous and then just leaves you standing alone in the middle of the restaurant in your underwear.
20 More Words for a Paper
And here’s why writing toward word counts can be a problem. I mean, “here is”.
Excuses
Writers have more excuses than a kid who wants to get out of gym class on dodgeball day.
Finding Your First Typo in Your Published Book
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it feels like to have your heart drop into a bucket of ice water and embarrassment, here it is.
I Wrote a Novel in Second Person
To be honest, the writer deserves to be there. Second person for a novel is an abomination.
How to Be Successful
“Here’s what you need, kid. You need a little luck, a little talent, and a couple of those plot things from Jersey Jim down on 52nd Street. Yeah, that’s how you do it.”
A Famous Writer
You would probably be better off with a career in just about anything else aside from venomous snake wrangler. And even then…
Time to Get to Work
So, this is what it’s like when people feel called out about something. Not cool, Padme. Not cool.
A Serial Killer’s Google Search History
Seriously, if there’s a serial killer in the city and the authorities started looking at search histories, writers are screwed.
The Main Villain
This is a little like turning a raging wolf into a tiny lap dog wearing a jaunty hat. It doesn’t always work, and it can take away some of the allure and mystery from your original Big Bad.
A Character With Living Parents
Well, that’s impossible. Characters don’t have living parents. Time to pack it up and become a full-time blueberry farmer.
A Total Emotional Hellscape
Sure, it makes us sad. Yet, we continue to do it. We writers are sadistic gods of our created worlds, and we like the power.
Writers After Killing Your Favorite Character
Writers have a heart. Honest. We just keep ours in a little jar in the cabinet.
When You Write 200 Years of World History
Worldbuilding is nature’s way to keep the population of fantasy writers in check.
Adverbs Everywhere
Think of adverbs as characters you don’t like. Kill them with impunity and smile while doing it.
Story Idea vs. First Draft
At least you recognize that the first draft is a little goofy… some writers just press submit.
It’s Called an Oughtobiography
Instead of reading this clever meme, you “ought to be” writing.
Delete Charakter
When you have a character that doesn’t fit… just pluck them out of the story like aliens beaming up a farmer in Indiana. Find another story for them.
Manuscript Evolution
I’d like to say that it gets easier with time, but I don’t like to lie.
All the Random Subplots Without Cohesion
Don’t worry. No one will notice. Honest. Wait, I don’t like to lie.
When I Finally Write the End
Honestly, there’s no better feeling. So, to get that good feeling faster, start your books backwards.
Something Useless and Unpractical
It’s a good feeling. All that worldbuilding is great. You aren’t getting any further on your story, but hey, you do you.
Where Does It Hurt
Everyone says technology is the way of the future. This happens too often, and everyone starts looking for stone tablets and chisels.
When Only 10 People Read Your Book
It’s not the size of your audience that counts, it’s the journey. You’ll grow stronger, and maybe some fresh “eyes” to see where you can do better.
I’m Going to Become a Writer
This is disturbingly accurate. Of course, it would’ve been nice if the guidance counselor had actually told me this. At least then, I could’ve made an informed decision.
Alright… “Chapter 1”
You laugh, but how many would-be writers are slowly decaying in front of the blank page right now. Not so funny now is it?
At the Third and Last Act of Editing
Editing has to be some sort of karmic retribution we’re all suffering because of the transgressions of some writer from the past, right?
Some Sort of Bullshit Energy
If you use enough fancy high-tech-sounding words and have people with lab coats and clipboards in scenes, no one will notice.
How I Speak vs. How I Write
Writers have two creatures living in us. One is refined, charming, and intelligent. It doesn’t get out much. The other creature is rabid, weird, and always present.
What Gives People Feelings of Power
It doesn’t seem like it takes much to please a writer. Just finish a chapter… just finish a chapter. Little do people know that’s like milking a cobra.
Villain vs. Mentor Character
Sometimes, we do get attached to the characters. We don’t want to let them go. But our villains have to be villainous. They can’t just shake their fist at the sky.
After a Character Runs Out of Meaning
Of course, for fantasy, urban fantasy, and horror authors, the coffin just ends up adding more character meaning.
Am I Researching or Just Procrastinating
To the untrained eye, it appears as though I’m procrastinating. But am I researching? No, I’m procrastinating!
It’s Free Character Development
Well, it’s part of humanity, so it can be part of a character. Of course, this often serves as a dark mirror for many writers.
Finishing the Current Chapter
Yes, this is procrastinating, but it’s also writing… so, we should probably come up with another word for it. Procrastin-writing?
Very Little Overlap
These little circles show the truth. But when you hit that sliver in the middle, it’s like magic.
That Plot Twist
This is like a surprise fart, but one that you and others will enjoy because it doesn’t stink.
The Tone I Wanted to Write the Story in
Honestly, this might say a lot about you and what you have inside. Not that it’s a bad thing.
Killing New Characters, You’re Attached to
Sometimes killing makes us sad, sometimes it makes us happy. If we weren’t writers, we’d be in prison.
How many times did you see yourself in these memes? Let’s be honest. Writers who have been at it for more than a couple of days are sure to find a lot of humor and a lot of truth in the memes. Hope you had fun with them and even more importantly, isn’t it time you got back to that work in progress?
