Snoopy appears to be having a resurgence in popularity. True, he’s been a fan favorite since Charles Schulz first started writing the Peanuts comics in 1950. But as with everything else, the younger generation has ‘discovered’ him, which is likely the reason for the boost.
Now, honestly, I’ve always had a soft spot for this adorable beagle from the first time I read one of Schulz’s comics in the funny pages as a wee book dragon. Because, of course, that is the first thing I went for from the Sunday edition of the newspaper. Then back in high school, we put on a production of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, which I was in the pit for. Snoopy was easily the favorite of the audience, and I was no different.
I loved it so much to the point of becoming enamored with anything that was Peanuts related. As often was the case, whenever something new struck my fancy, I became hyper-fixated on the series, and I would find collections of the comics to read, file away little trivia nuggets, etc. Snoopy, and by extension Woodstock, are by far my favorite characters, even if I tend to be more like Charlie Brown.
As such, I became fairly well-versed in Snoopy and all his various personas and endeavors. There is Joe Cool, who was super popular in the mid-’90s. There was his World War I Flying Ace, who tried valiantly to take down the Red Baron. And then there were his multiple attempts at starting a successful writing career.
One thing I think most of us in the bookish world can commiserate with Snoopy on is his desire to write. What likely started off as a one-time gag (just guessing) became synonymous with the dog. And that is the image of him sitting atop his dog house with an old-school typewriter, penning away at the next great novel or whatever would grant him the largest sum of money.
As such, I wanted to round up a handful of the most relatable panels that see Snoopy tapping away at those keys or, in some cases, receiving ‘constructive’ feedback from the Peanuts gang. Enjoy!
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Now, don’t quote me on this, but I would wager at least five dollars that this is the first comic strip that was the genesis of Snoopy’s writing. Those of us who either remember these types of typewriters or have used them in the past know how heavy they are. Snoopy is showing a very high level of dedication to the craft by not only being willing to haul it from whatever location it was in to the top of his dog house.
It may have been intended as a one-time gag, but it became a running theme for the doggo up until Schulz’s passing. Even the recent The Peanuts Movie had vignettes where Snoopy was writing, although in that he was writing about the adventures of his WWI persona rather than the proverbial dark and stormy night.
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While all parts of writing are difficult, I think the beginning is always the trickiest part. We all know that the first few sentences have to grab the reader’s attention; otherwise, they might put it down and move on to other books since they almost always have a pile of tomes waiting for them.
On the other hand, you don’t want to overwhelm them with too much because they can just as easily decide to put it down for something lighter. Steadfast Snoopy! We all have faith in you!
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Truer words have never been spoken. I mean, I know that we all like to say we don’t do it for the money, which is often true. Because it is a very specific selection of people who can make a living out of it and not treat it as a side hustle. And most of us do write for the joy of it and sharing our stories. But I’m also honest enough to know that deep down in the depths of our souls, we all feel this way, too.
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For me, first drafts always feel like they’re on the same level as early reader books because the language I use is simple and repetitive. While I know that it is part of the process, I still feel like, “What is wrong with me?” when I go back and read it after it is all done. The look of self-deprecation on Snoopy’s face is something I’m sure we all feel.
Now ultimately, there are more than two handfuls of panels where our favorite beagle is putting his thoughts on paper. So, this is by no means a comprehensive list. But these are just a few that stuck out to me as relatable. Hopefully, they resonated with y’all as well and maybe even gave some encouragement for your own writing endeavors. Until we meet again, happy reading and stay hydrated.
