I Want to Be a Writer

"I want to be a writer." I can't tell you how often I've heard this phrase from other people. When people find out that I'm a writer, it's one of the first things they say. It's some variation of that, and then they launch into this one time they tried to write something.

Pretty much everyone knows how to write, but few people seem to have the impetus to go from, "I want to write" to "I am a writer." Why is that?

Well, it seems to be because people just don't know how to go about it.

If you read books about writing, you'll find that there is no magic formula for how to be a writer. One day, you just get off your lazy ass and do it. It's really that simple.

I've heard some people, writers I respect, say that not everyone can be a writer. I disagree with this viewpoint. Everyone has it in them. If you're capable of forming words in your mind or having a conversation or imagining creative ways to tell your boss to go screw themselves, then you have the capability to be a writer.

If everyone can be a writer, then why isn't everyone a writer?

It comes down to discipline. If you want to be a writer, you have to stop thinking about it and just do it. You have to sit down, and pound out as much crap as you can in the time allotted for yourself. For me, I plan on writing every day. My goal is to write 2,000 words. Sometimes this can take me an hour or two. Other times, I might struggle for the whole day, but goddammit, I don't leave that computer until I've got the words down on paper... er... digital paper... on screen? Whatever. You get the point.

Now, this isn't an easy thing to do. It's actually very difficult because of how our brains are wired. If you're into writing, you're probably into reading, and if you're into reading, chances are that you have developed something of a critical mind. The critical mind is the biggest hurdle that writers face. It's that part of your mind that says, "No, that's pure and utter garbage. I'm embarrassed that I even wrote this."

Writers have those same voices. Earlier today, I was working on my latest novel, and I sat back and said, "This is complete garbage. What the hell am I doing?" The difference between me and someone that says they want to be a writer? I went ahead and wrote it anyway.

But why would I continue if I felt like what I was writing was crap? Because I'm a writer. And writers finish things. They don't get halfway through something and then walk away. That's really the only difference between a writer and someone who wants to be a writer. They finish their work, fine-tune with editing and revising, and then publish it for better or worse... because there's always another project to get working on.

If you can't wrap your mind around the idea that you too could be a writer, try these tips:

Give yourself a month, maybe even two, and follow this routine.

Pick an hour or two in your day to write. It doesn't matter when it is. Just pick a time. It doesn't have to be the same time every day. If you're too busy to write, make the time. Writers live in the real world too, but they manage to find the time. When I'm teaching 9 months out of the year, I still write, though my days are filled with yelling at students, grading papers, and creating lesson plans. That may mean less sleep, but so be it. I gotsta write! Sometimes I'll go into work an hour early and bang out a thousand words. A thousand words is better than no words, and the key is to always be moving forward.

Sit down, free from distractions, including your very cute but annoying cat, and start typing. When you can't think of what to write next, squeeze your eyes shut until words pop into you head. Write them down.

When that voice in your head starts telling you how worthless you are, and how bad your writing is, tell it to fuck off. Continue writing.

At the end of your hour or two, switch off your computer, put your pencil away, or lay down your chisel and stone tablets. Walk away from it, and don't go back to it.

Re-reading your story before its done is a great way to become disheartened. Don't re-read it until you're done, unless you're trying to remember something like, "How many bullets did my protagonist fire from that six-shooter?"

At the end of a month, you should have a sizable chunk of work. It probably sucks, but that's because, like every other writer that has come before you, and every other writer that has come after you, you need to go back and revise and edit your work, cutting out the words you love so much and replacing them with better ones.

If you can do that, then you'll cease being someone who wants to be a writer, and you'll be an actual writer. Remember, writing isn't about being the best. It's about getting your story finished and sharing it. If you do that with even one person, then you've achieved success, and with time, you will only get better. You're welcome.

When you get all rich and stuff, send me a check.