People are impressed that you know someone who writes books (or at least books that they've heard of). But this is only because they don't know the writer in question. If they did, they would just roll their eyes. And should they happen to subsequently meet your writer it will end badly for you. I once had a friend pay me a visit and bring along someone I didn't know. It turned out this person was just dying to meet my friend's writer friend. That would be me. And apparently I was not what she was hoping for. At one point during the long, tedious afternoon I overheard her whisper to my friend, "I thought he would have nicer furniture."
I know a few other writers, some of whom people have actually heard of. Occasionally it will come out that I know So-and-so, and not just in a "we have the same publisher" kind of way. Inevitably the person who hears this asks, "What is he really like?" Even people who should know better ask this. And I always say to them something I heard a friend of Stevie Nicks say she tells people who ask her what Stevie is really like: "She's exactly the way you think she is."
Because the illusion is what makes knowing so much better than being. Being involves, well, being. Knowing gives you all the benefits of being associated with fabulousness but without any of the icky stuff that comes with it. You don't have to actually write the books or make the movies or go to rehab, you just have to know the person who does. And that's really what most people care about. If you tell them you know a prostitute*, for example, they will more often than not think that you're a daring sort who leads a very interesting life. Tell them that you are a prostitute, however, and now you're just a whore who has crashed the party.
I have to get back to being a writer now. Try not to get too excited about it. I wouldn't want to disappoint you.
http://mtford.blogspot.com/2009/11/t...not-to-be.html