What it Means to be a Writer

I’m going to ask three things of you.

I’m going to first ask you to forgive me for starting this post off in one of the most contrived ways known to writers: with a quote.

I typically dislike it when writers rely on the words of others, but sometimes what you want to say has already been said in the most concise and effective manner. Such is the case here. And, in my defense, it is a great quote:

“You are what you do, not what you say you'’l do.”
— C.G. Jung

I think this quote is exceedingly applicable in the world of writing. To me, being a writer is not contingent on whether someone has been traditionally published or has been paid for their work—or if they’ve even shown their work to anyone. A writer is someone who, above all else, writes. And beyond that, it’s someone who writes regularly and with a serious type of dedication.

Now, the second thing I’m going to ask you to do is to please excuse my uncharacteristic cynicism of this next phrase: I dislike when people use the term “aspiring writer”—especially when referring to themselves. If you want to write, then write! If you write—if you come to it with discipline and regularity, if you try to develop your craft and actively work toward producing more and better art—you, my friend, are a writer. On the flip-side, if someone says they’re a writer, but rarely sits down and gives themselves to the process, they are a hobbyist—not a true writer.

Simply enough, if you write, you are a writer. If you do not, you are not. I don’t say this to cheapen anyone’s love of writing or their dreams of becoming a best-selling author. I say this because there’s a huge difference between having an interest in something and entirely immersing yourself in it. In the immortal words of Yoda: “Do or do not. There is no try.”

A few years ago, I used to tell people I was a writer. Of course, I loved writing and had maybe scribbled down a handful of stories or poems, but I would go weeks without picking up a pen or opening a word document. I’d go months without even thinking about writing.

So what changed? A few things. Mostly, I realized that if I wanted to be a writer, it wasn’t going to just happen. I wasn’t going to wake up one day to find that I had a masterpiece magically completed. I needed to make it happen. But I also realized that I needed something to light a fire under me—I needed something to make myself want to write every day. Something that would inspire me to write on days when I didn't feel like sitting down and putting one word in front of the other.

Enter Faye’s Write Chain Challenge. At the time this posts, I will have completed 100 consecutive days of writing (well, more like 326—that’s how long I’ve been writing at least 750 words of fiction on 750words.com without missing a day). My goal for each Write Chain link is at least 900 words of fiction writing a day.

Now, when I first set out to start writing every single day, I stumbled. I would write every day for a week, then stop. I’d get burned out. Or I’d let other things get in the way. But something wonderful happened when I’d write for a couple days in a row—it became easier to get my work done AND I was actually, for once, seeing progress with my writing projects. When I started to realize this, I pushed myself to develop more of a discipline in my writing.

For me, Write Chain is effective because all of my fellow Write Chain participants (and all of Twitter) will know if I break my chain. I think it’s that level of accountability that pushes me to write on those all too common days when I want nothing to do with my projects. And it’s a great jumping-off point for more work. I’ll often tell myself: “Look, you just have to write 900 words. That’s it. They don’t even have to be good.” But often, by the time I’ve hit 900 words, I’ve gotten into the zone and the words just keep flowing.

And it’s not just the progress in my projects that makes writing every day worthwhile, it’s the growth I see in my writing. Looking back at my work from a year ago, I can see how fiercely my writing has benefited from daily practice.

Now, I am fully aware that for most people it is difficult to find the time to write every day. Other things take priority—work, children, family, sleep. But if you want to be a writer, then writing every day needs to become a priority as well (or at least writing every other day, or once a week—basically, set a schedule for your writing and STICK TO IT). This is why the Write Chain Challenge is perfect. You set your goal. So you can sign up to write 100 words a day. Or to write for 10 minutes a day. Clearly, the more you write, the quicker you’ll grow as a writer, but writing for 10 minutes is infinitely better than writing for 0 minutes.

If you want a dream or an idea to become a reality, you have to bring it into existence yourself. With writing, that means dedication and practice. Here’s another quote (I know, I know) that sums up the attitude I’ve adopted towards my writing routine:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
— Aristotle

Being a writer means showing up regularly and actually writing. It’s about writing actively—being fully engaged with the process and respecting it enough to approach it with drive and commitment.

So now, the third and final thing I’ll ask you to do is to write. Write whether you feel like it or not. Write feverishly and without inhibition. Just write.

And do it every day.