How To Be A Writer

Hi! I see you want to be a writer and the search has brought you here. Welcome to The Writer’s Forge. I am not an expert and everything comes from personal experiences. And of course, from all those characters that haunt my dreams because I’ve yet to share their story to the world and countless ideas that never saw the light of day or are simply rotting in my recycle bin. So let’s get to the point.  

But first, a warning: Whoever said writing is fun, is clearly lying. Sure, there are moments of joy, but most of the time, it’s a challenging, introspective journey that makes you question why you ever wanted to be a writer in the first place. It is a test of resilience paired with utter chaos. Yet, I promise you this: when you finally see your work come to life, it brings a satisfaction that’s hard to describe… It makes you feel something that you can’t really point to. ( I haven’t discovered what that pull is yet) 

 Believe me, we aren’t alone in this. Margaret Atwood once said, “If I didn’t write, I would die.” And Julia Cameron describes writing to be a spiritual practice in her book, ‘In The Artist’s Way: A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self”

I may have trailed off again. But here are the ways to be a writer that you are looking for! 

Step One: Embrace Your Identity

Start by calling yourself an ‘aspiring’ writer. If you wish to pursue this as a full-time job, get used to hearing, “Oh but writing is a hobby. What do you do otherwise?” Let me remind you that this beautiful quote from Dead Poets Society exists, that says, “We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”

This can test your determination and teach you the first lesson of writing. Be Bold: it’s one of the most crucial lessons I’ve learned by writing creative non-fiction. Putting yourself out there takes immense courage and for those of you trying, I see you. And if you didn’t hear this enough, let me say: I’m proud of you for taking that first step. 

Step Two: Your Diary Is Your Best Friend

I cannot emphasise enough on the importance of journaling. I am the type of person who might say; Dear Diary…, at any minor inconvenience on any day. Journaling helps establish a daily writing habit, and on tough days, just remember to show up, no matter how challenging it feels.

Step Three: Getting Into The Flow

Everyday on this job is a surprise. Somedays you will have the energy and the flow to complete three short stories, brainstorm news ideas and start a new project. And then there are the slow days. It’s like driving to a dead end. It is excruciating to turn back around, the wall cannot be broken and there are no other exits. However, there is a simple way out that is often overlooked. Let your stream of consciousness flow onto the paper. 

Here’s what you need to do. Take a book, paper or a new document on your computer. Set a timer for 15 minutes. If that feels like a lot, then start with 5 minutes. Start writing. It doesn’t have to be on anything particular. Write the first thing that comes to your mind and see where it takes you. Don’t worry about grammar, structure or sentence clarity. The goal is to just write. Once the timer goes off, you can either stop writing and reflect on some new ideas. Or if you are feeling inspired, continue writing until you think it’s complete. 

Step Four: Write a book 

Woah! Sounds like a massive leap from the previous step right? We were just talking about getting into the flow and now I’m asking you to write a book. Do I sound crazy? Maybe I do. But hear me out. The greatest challenge of being a writer is to get rid of that little Miss Perfect in your head. She seems innocent at first. Don’t be fooled by the facade. She is the reason you will stare at the blank document for hours on end, waiting for that inspiration or that so called perfect first line to hit you, so then you can finally begin writing. In an interview with “The Paris Review,” Spring 2014, Margaret Atwood said, “If I waited for inspiration every time I sat down to write, I’d be a waitress.” 

I have learned more lessons than any course could teach me while I attempted to get through the first drafts of my book. So many of them now sit in the untouched folder in the corner of my desktop. But hey! It made me a better writer. I am on a journey to bring my first draft to life and to see that it turns into a final draft. From my most favourite book on writing, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott says, “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” 

I believe I have started somewhere. If you are looking for a sign from the universe to unleash your creativity, then you have come to the right place. I cannot guarantee that what has worked for me will work the same for you as I am a firm believer that every writer must find their own process. I hope you will join me on this journey and explore this together! 

PS: There is a shortcut to being a writer. All you have to do is WRITE!