Why do writers always look so smug in photos?

Michael Chabon, waiting for you to weigh in on this

Jean Shepherd always wore a disguise in his photo. I guess he didn't want people running up to him in the grocery store.

Jonathan Lethem, any thoughts? I know you're on here.

Judith Krantz made an effort to appear fetching.

David Leavitt, you've been practicing your smug author photo poses since the age of 15. Let's hear it.

I wouldn't say Joyce Carol Oates looks smug on the inside of her book covers -- although she does resemble a Tim Burton character.

I don't know what you mean

Writers and journalists have a similar mentality to academic types--they know more than you in their particular subject, therefore, they know more than you about everryyyythihng.

Jonathan Franzen has a classic smug writers face. So does Laura Lippman. Joan Didion looks like she's desperately trying to avoid looking smug by looking overly solemn.

Weird you mention that as I was just reading this guy's article, and thought "what a smug douche" with that fucking smirk. He's the political editor at Esquire.

Actually, r10, he looks like a stroke victim.

R11 LOL!

R10 he looks like a guy I used to fuck. Great fuck, but a smug douche indeed.

It’s like rock bands looking morose on album covers.

It's like tv preachers with slicked hair and big, white teeth.

Are you SURE that's not him R13?? My gaydar is pretty good I must say and it goes off in that pic. Something about the hair....

R10 Oh dear. That one of the worst cases of smug face I've ever seen.

Photo of Stephen King. I heard he really is a jerk although I would recommend his "On Writing" book.

[quote][R10] Oh dear. That one of the worst cases of smug face I've ever seen.

Not to mention you don't wear button-down shirts with tweed jackets. It's just not done.

Not to make this a tweed jacket thread R19, but if not button down shirts, then what?

R20, bare chest. Always a bare chest with a tweed jacket.

This was the closest I could find to illustrate bare chest and tweed jacket.

[quote]Not to make this a tweed jacket thread [R19], but if not button down shirts, then what?

A simple poplin shirt with a matching vest or sweater is nice. For a more casual look, a turtle neck.

Tweed is country "smart" dress for the horsey set and a weekend in the country. Button downs are more for the intellectual/collegiate set. The two styles don't mix.

LOL and now it's a tweed jacket thread! Sorry OP!

Artists and those who call themselves artists are the same. I saw one today and thought why can't she just smile?

Smug with cigarette.

Does Fran Lebowitz count?

Smug? My photo positively radiates supreme intelligence, cool confidence, delectable Italian cooking skills and sexual magnetism. Kaye Scarpetta wishes she were me.

R16, no. This guy doesn't have a creative bone in his body and got into the medical profession simply because it's the same thing his dad did. No idea why he thought he had the right to be so smug, but maybe it was his big dick.

Dominick Dunne.

The execrable Norman "I ain't no typical sissy writer" Mailer.

It's worse when they have a beard, glasses and especially a pipe... and why do they always rest their chin on their hand?

r8, wrong. Academic types and writers usually know a lot in wide array of topics. That drives other people crazy, who usually are just an expert in 1 or 2 things. Triters look smug because they know don't know everything but they also know they are smarter enough to be well read and not so easily buy into crazy conspiracy theories or shun something they don't understand.

You're welcome.

Julian Jaynes

[quote] wrong. Academic types and writers usually know a lot in wide array of topics

Not if they are in the fields of racial or gender studies.

Though he no longer looks like this of course, Mr. Ellis is the master of the smug/pompous look.

Few authors are iconic enough to deserve jacket photos.

R31, I literally laughed out loud at that photo of Norman Mailer and his "lady friend." Books on the table, rocks glass in hand (other hand on lady friend's ass). Is that a typewriter next to lady friend's hip?

Phillip Roth.

JD Salinger.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Joan Didion.

Joan Didion is insufferable in EVERY context.

Woodward and Bernstein. Hard at work, sleeves not rolled-up, neckties loosened, but still tied.

Joan Didion, again. I know some DL people love physical books, but I fucking hate seeing bookshelves like this (except for libraries).

Even the desk looks pompous. Above, I recommended Stephen King's "On Writing" book. He wrote about realizing he was an alcoholic (by the volume of beer bottles in his recycling bins). He also wrote about how his writing office was pompous, with a huge desk the size of ship, going nowhere as he sat there drunk. When he stopped drinking, he replaced his desk with something smaller.

Because they’re smarter and more disciplined than us, and they know that we know it.

I wrote a book and got paid for it. A LOT. You didn’t, and so you had to *pay* just to read my book and my thoughts. Ha ha.

The chin in the hand is to hide the week chin and saggy neck.

You can’t color all writers and academics in one broad stroke.

I thought it was an extension of the "philosopher stroking his beard"/Rodan's [italic]Thinker [italic/] pose.

Jonathan Franzen. Ugh.

OP? You're projecting, dear.

R42 makes Didion look vulnerable and empathetic. This captures her detached iciness much better.

OP you are totally right -- I was about to read a book the other day until I saw the author's photo and realized if I wouldn't ever want to meet this guy, why would I want to read his book?

JK Rowling.

Fuck you, OP. I'm charming.