How to Tell If You’re a Writer
You might be a writer if….
Here are my top 20 clues.
20. You love coffee.
19. You’ve said these words at some point in your life: “I want to write a book.”
18. People have said to you, “You should write a book!”
17. You love coffee AND the idea of bringing your computer to a café for a long session.
16. You love to read.
15. You have to put down a book you’re reading because you just read a line that was SO well-written you had to stop and think about it.
14. You love words and can lose track of time reading the dictionary.
13. You’ve been reading my blog and thinking, “Goodness, if she can write, anyone can!”
12. You have an above-average grasp of vocabulary and grammar.
11. You edit your own emails and texts and won’t send them until they’re just right.
10. You love to edit (red pen!) and rewrite all kinds of things: friends’ holiday newsletters, advertisements, endings to movies and novels.
9. You dread reading your Uncle Bill’s memoir because you know it won’t be well-written.
8. Your at-home library shelves have more than one book about how to write.
7. You look forward to writing prompts and exercises.
6. The names of paint colors, the titles of poems and music, and great quotes make you want to write something.
5. You have a collection of novel first-lines.
4. You’ve finished reading a book and said to yourself, “I could write better than that!”
3. You make up bedtime stories for your kids or your pets.
2. You’ve attempted to write a story but stopped midway because you got bored.
1. You have a fantastic idea for a story and it keeps you up at night, and won’t leave you alone during the day, either.
If any of these sound like you, then you owe it to yourself to open a word document or grab a yellow legal pad and a favorite pen and start writing.
Decide whom your ideal reader is and write for them.
What story do you want to tell them?
Start with “Once upon a time,” and go from there. (You can create a better first line later).
When you get to that point in the story when you’re bored with your own words, increase the stakes.
Keep going to the end.
There are hundreds, thousands of books on writing.
Use all that knowledge to help you finish your story.
Enjoy your week.
~ Gail
(Tick tock)
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Love this post!
Yes on 1-4 and 15-20! Grammar not so much. 🙂
Hey Kurt. No coffee? What is that even like? Hope your writing is going well. I just sent a manuscript to an editor. Then, after revisions, it’s querying time. Ugh.
Hi Gail!
I haven’t commented in a while, but I’m keeping up with your posts. This topic piqued my interest. I’ve definitely experienced the “I can write better than that!” moment. It was that realization that led me to pivot from running a secretarial service to freelance writing and now writing memoirs full-time.
I had a “Whoa!” moment when I got to #9 on your list because an uncle recently sent me a memoir to review, which was PAINFUL to read. I am floored by the number of college-educated people who can’t properly punctuate a sentence or use capitalization correctly. And yes, I proofread EVERYTHING.
Strangely, though, I don’t own even one book about the art of writing. I’ve tried reading them, and usually end up abandoning them partway through out of sheer boredom. I belong to a writer’s group that I attend faithfully every Tuesday, and I love critiquing other people’s work and having mine critiqued as well. There is one gentleman in the group struggling through the rewrite of a novel who continuously says things like, “I want it to sound like Raymond Carver” or “I was using so-and-so’s formula for structuring paragraphs.” For me, that is the kiss of death! I want to tell him to throw away the guides and set HIS VOICE free! Of course, he is struggling – he’s trying to be someone else. He’s trying to do it “right”. I’m afraid to become constricted by the rules.
Am I a fish out of water? A writer who purposely shies away from learning about her craft? I am toying with the idea of getting Stephen King’s book on writing as an Audible to listen to while I walk the dog. Maybe hearing the advice will make it more palatable than reading it!
Keep up the good work!
Hi Kelly! Good to hear from you. Now that Adulting-Second Half isn’t posted everyday, I lost our connection. Hope you’re doing well. Your post made me smile–especially about your uncle. As far as reading craft books–I have so many that, like you, I’ve gotten halfway through and abandoned for something shinier. A lot of times though, while I’m reading them, they inspire me to write/edit something and I get so caught up in doing just that and I forget to go back to the craft book. I would say that if you’re going read a craft book, maybe don’t start with Stephen King. I didn’t particularly care for his book on writing. I really enjoy The Writers Digest magazine for tips and inspiration. AND, as you said, I also think that writers can get so caught up in how to do things that we’re afraid to walk out and just write. Same with podcasts on writing. Just write. And READ whatever your genre is. Your ear will pick up all kinds of tips without you even knowing it!