What does it take to be a writer?

5 Feb

I’ve thought about this A LOT over the last few years.

When I started out, I thought to be a great writer it all came down to ability.

Can I string a sentence together? Is it entertaining or engaging? Are my words fancy enough? Clear enough? Are they appropriate for their intended purpose and audience? Above all else, is my writing good enough? (Hot tip: this insecurity never subsides!)

Was my ultimate goal to write a masterpiece like all the brilliant writers out there? Or was it simply to write a story that resonated with the reader?

With the focus on ability comes the inevitable Imposter Syndrome.

I will always worry my writing is not good enough. Even with practice, I am fearful of being that shit writer who thinks they’re better than they actually are.

The loop of self-doubt plays on repeat in my head. I’m no good at this. I should give up writing. Who am I kidding? Time to get a real job.

After conquering those demons and getting some semi-decent words on paper, there is a (small and brief) surge of confidence. This is when I edit until my brain explodes and I forget where the story starts and where it ends. It is that all-consuming time when the characters climb into bed with me at night and snuggle up in the corner of my mind because I CANNOT GET THEM TO LEAVE. Only after long edits and getting to know my characters inside out (and their sleeping habits) do I feel okay about putting my words out into the world.

This takes courage and often comes with rejection. Multiple rejections.

The impending risk of sliding back into that headspace about being shit is ever-present. So how do I stop that descent and keep climbing?

Along with skill-building, undertaking courses, listening to the wise advice of seasoned writers, and daily writing dedication, the two essential ingredients to becoming a successful writer, in my opinion, are GRIT and HOPE.

1. GRIT

There is no getting around it; I have to do the work. Bum on the seat. Words on a page. Shit words to start with but I know they get better.

I’ve had to believe in myself enough to stand up one more time than I get sucker-punched flat.

I am determined.

I am competitive.

I like to succeed.

I don’t expect any of these things to happen if I don’t buckle down, clench my teeth and get the hell on with it. Going back to these basics has helped me get up when my face has been buried in the dirt.

A writer without grit will struggle to get through to the finish line.

2. HOPE

There is a certain optimism in persisting with writing – if you want your story to be read widely.

Some writers are happy to write for themselves, for their words to be a private sanctuary of self-expression.

Not me.

I write because I have something to say and I hope the determination and hard work, the conquering of self-doubt and the get-up-and-go will eventually mean my story finds its readers.

I have to believe there is a space in the world for me and my story.

I have to hope there is a way for that story to find its way into the world.