'So When Are You Going Back to Real Work?' and Other Annoying Questions

The other day on Facebook, I posted how I recently got asked: 'When are you going to go back to real work?', not to mention: 'What do you do all day?'

This sparked an outpouring from fellow writers, who've experienced similar questions from friends and family -- people who just don't take writing seriously.

Thing is, writing is a slog. It's not always fun and games, and there are days when I long to put on my killer high heels, dress up and head out for another brainless day in the office, complete with Jaffa Cakes, endless coffee breaks and idle chit-chat. Working on your own is often lonely and -- with the pressure of knowing just how much you gave up to do it -- sometimes quite stressful. Without a doubt, this is one the hardest jobs I've done. And by far the most rewarding.

Stunned by the fact this very nice person couldn't see just how offensive their questions actually were, I stammered and stumbled around as I tried to articulate my thoughts. Grr! Maybe I should send them this blog post!

Do the people around you take your writing seriously? And what's your killer come-back line to such annoying questions?