A funny thought

When I was a kid, my parents used to call me Chatterbox. Because I could talk. A LOT.

(Still can, still do. Just ask Andy.)

Sometimes my rambling was so bad that my dad would say, “If you can’t tell a story in two minutes or less, then I don’t want to hear it.”

And yet I still grew up to be a novelist.


9 responses to “A funny thought”

  1. Natalia Sylvester Avatar

    That’s so sweet and cute and hilarious at the same time. Thanks for sharing :)

  2. Trisha Avatar

    Well, you can look at that a couple of ways. Your dad was interested in helping you hone your ability to tell a concise, structured story. This skill enabled you to grow into a successful novelist. Or, what a jerk! What kind of a parent wouldn’t cherish the ramblings of an excited child telling a story?!

  3. Sonje Avatar

    What? You mean you were a child who didn’t listen to your parents and do whatever they said?

  4. Les Avatar

    Hah. I call that “telling me how the clock is built when I ask for the time” :p

  5. Amanda Kendle Avatar

    Oops. My parents called me the same thing. Unfortunately my father was more patient than yours, or, more likely, had a highly-developed ability to tune out but make it appear he was listening, and so I still have this problem with being long-winded and rambling.

    Kind of like this comment, which is probably already longer than your post. Again, oops.

  6. Kristan Avatar

    Trisha-
    Can it be both? Lol.

    Sonje-
    Oh, you might be surprised. I wasn’t a trouble child by any means, but I wasn’t a perfect angel. My mouth was usually the source of my troubles.

    Les-
    HAHA I love that phrase! Never heard it before but it’s great.

    Amanda-
    LOL well it was a short post. But yeah, I think my mom did a lot of tuning me out. I can’t blame her.

  7. Joelle Wilson Avatar

    A story in two minutes or less? I guess he was challenging you to write (speak) flash fiction. :)

  8. Sarah Wedgbrow Avatar

    …and I feel your dad’s pain. (with my 10-year old). I do think it’s karma for my own chatty self. Perhaps his “guidance” to two-minute stories is what sparked the idea of “crafting” stories, as is the novelist’s job.
    …love this post!!

  9. linda Avatar

    Haha, so cute! Said very concisely, too. :)