The Label Maker

I am uncomfortable with labels.  It was hard to change the name of my blog from Farm and Fru Fru to Sharon Stanley Writes because in a very real way, it insinuates that I am a writer.  That scares me.  It sounds pretentious considering I have made exactly $10.00 from writing thus far.

  I thought I would feel better about it if I looked up the definition of "writer".  Webster says a writer is "one who writes; one who has the occupation of writing."  I'm OK with "one who writes" but occupation implies pay.  I decided to pull out J.I.Rodales's Synonym Finder (l986) to find a better label for myself.

 First, I got a bit sidetracked and looked at "housewife."  There were many synonyms, among them housekeeper, chief cook and bottle washer, mate, consort and my personal fave, better half.  I moved on to "mother:"  female parent, matron (absolutely not) old lady (ah, no) and the one I just love and believe I will use for myself from now on: motherkins.  I can just see my 18 and 22 year olds calling

 "oh motherkins, what's for supper?"

  I don't think so.  Then I looked at writer.  There were 71 synonyms for writer.  I won't list them all, but here are some of my favorites:

penner, pen-pusher, ink-spiller, ink-slinger, hack (shudder) leg-man (not going there), scribe, copier and the one that rang true with me.....scribbler.  I should have named this blog Sharon Stanley Scribbles.  Too late, I am not changing my banner...this one's paid for.

I don't know why I have such a hard time admitting I AM A WRITER except for the pay thing, and the fear of making terrific grammatical errors.   That and I hate the thought of being compared to people who REALLY write, who make money at it, who are really good at it. 
In addition, I've had so many labels.

 My blog friend Aimee at Crafty Farm Girl tells me we are
"scanner" personalities.  People who are interested in so many different things, we just constantly move from one thing to the next, trying to take it ALL in and make to most of the time we have.  We craft, cook, paint, write, sew, etc.  So many labels.

It occurred to me that  I am also (in no particular order)  a mother, housekeeper, wife, friend, christian, sister, and daughter, and the "pay" for those labels isn't monetary,  why should writer be any different?
  I've been writing for years and years for the sheer pleasure of writing; why should that change just because I now wish to pursue this pleasure more seriously?

So I shall just write my little stories and this blog and my grocery list and whatever else I decide to write, and I shall craft and paint and sew and not think too much about the labels.
  I don't plan to offer writing advice (unless it is someone else's!) on this blog or pretend to be more than I am or know more than I do.  This won't be the typical "writer's blog" though.   I think it will be more a "scribbler's" blog.

 So what is your label?  Writer? Scribbler?  Surely not Ink Slinger...

If you wish, comment below and tell me about your label.  I will randomly choose one comment and send you a brand spanking new LABEL MAKER to help you decide.  You have until Monday, April 22, 10 pm to comment!

Have a Happy Easter weekend!