Am I a real writer? There are many people out there that say 'if you write then you are a writer.' But, that is not what new writers want to hear. You want to know if you write well enough to become a published author. You want to know if you have the talent to write a great book - to survive the editing process - to hold your head up when talking with other writers, editors, and agents.
I understand what you are asking. I've seen hundreds of new writers receive a publishing contract for their first book. I know personally, dozens of writers who struggled for a few years, and then sold a dozen books in a row. I also know full time and working, full time book authors.
After several years of asking questions, polling writers, and interviewing writers, I came up with the following way to determine whether you are a born writer.
Where Should I Start?
There are several good reasons to write:
To express your creativity
To explore your world
You need to write
To fulfill a dream
You feel good when writing
To heal emotionally
It feels right
You want the power to express your views
Poor reasons to write:
To make people proud of you
To seek approval
To prove that you are as good as another person
To get back at someone who hurt you, or your family
Money
Fame
There is no right or wrong reason to write. However, there are some reasons that help people write with creativity and passion while others turn writing into a laborious chore.
There are three types of writers: hobby, struggling, professional.
The hobby writer is someone who hopes to become published one day, but do not write for publication. They write to express themselves, with little concern for publisher's needs, trends, genres, or the marketability of their novel. Writing is a pastime that is both rewarding and enjoyable.
The struggling writer is someone who wants to become published, but they are having a hard time turning their passion for writing into a marketable novel. They often write for several years before becoming published.
There are dozens of variables shared by hobby writers and struggling writers. However, professional writers share some traits that are very telling:
1.They never stop learning.
2.They never stop reading bestsellers and recent releases
3.They pick a few favorite' publishers and study their recent releases, learning what they need and want.
4.They spend about 10 20 percent of their time creating a story and the rest of their time rewriting and polishing their novel.
5.They start promoting themselves as authors long before they are published.
6.They learn to overcome writer's block and rejection by improving their skills and preparing for success.
7.They belong to writer's groups and associations.
The perfect blend is the hobby writer who evolves into a professional writer.
Exercise:
How to get started:
Write ten reasons why you write
Write ten reasons why you want to become published
Write five things you've done this year to ensure that you become published.
Didn't do well? Don't worry. The publishing industry is expanding and evolving monthly. Books that wouldn't sell a year ago are now bestsellers. The most important advice I can give you is this, 'if you need to write then write. A real writer is someone who writes, submits to publishers, and waits until the day when the publishing industry validates their work. The only way to fail is to quit.'
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