You Know You’re a Writer If…

Being a writer isn’t just a job or a hobby, it’s a way of living. I am willing to bet my bottom dollar if someone put a group of writers in one room, you’ll find that we may all have similar qualities and characteristics about ourselves. We eat, breathe and sleep writing. You know you are a writer if you can relate to any of these points I provided down below.

#1 You think about writing all day

It doesn’t matter if you are out and about enjoying time with family or friends, you’re thinking about writing or at least fantasizing about what you could be writing about. No matter what you do, you cannot get writing out of your head even if you wanted too. We can daydream all day about scenarios that could be written as a story. If you catch us talking to ourselves, don’t pay us any mind. We’re just testing our dialogue in our heads for one of our stories.

#2 You procrastinate writing

I feel all writers can relate to this one. One of the worst things about being a writer isn’t just a writer’s block, it is procrastination. You’d rather be doing anything but sitting down and actually writing but your brain won’t let you put your fingers on the keys. It’s like writers love to doubt themselves when it comes time to write: What if I am not good enough? Who and the hell will read my writing? All these silly notions we make up in our heads to question ourselves about our writing.

#3 Dreading to Write

The reason I stated above is why we dread writing; all the self -sabotaging questions. This can cause a writer to become stuck and in their own way, and you know us, we hate being stuck on one thing when it comes to our writing. Our minds will become cloudier than that one a rainy day; with extra grey and gloom to add to our reality.

#4 Edit! Edit! Edit!

We all hate to do it, but it has to be done. Editing can go one either which way; backspacing one sentence and then it becomes an entire paragraph or page, or completing the same act and then getting stuck on what to put thereafter. We can get stuck in a whirlwind of deleting scenes and putting them back… taking out a semi-colon and then putting it back, only to take it out again. Damn those writing rules. One thing we have to remind ourselves about is the fact that this process takes time and we must remain patient with ourselves artist. I know you heard this all before. So hear it again. Deal with this part of the process, the outcome will be so much more.

#5 You have a drawer full of unfinished ideas

Personally, I have to force myself to keep from writing on any one of my other good ideas. My mind can wander to so many places which is one of the reasons why I procrastinate my writing in the first place.

#6 Your two best friends are coffee and your pet

Your house pet has seen all your highs and lows I am sure. They have seen you yelling and growling at the computer screen as well as cry your eyes out in your pillow feeling worthless about that one action scene you just wrote. Speaking to your pet as if they truly understand if therapy. In a way, they do understand you in their own little way. Then there’s coffee. The magical potion that keeps your eyes and nervous system awake long enough before you tap out on writing. It could be after you write that awesome climax in your novel, you know, that scene where all of a sudden your body goes into autopilot. Your fingers can’t stop hitting that keyboard and you thank the writing gods that they blessed you with a burst of writing goods. Finally, you crash. Waking up to another cup of hot or cold joe to start the process all over again.

As writers, we have our days when we want to drop everything and give up on our gift. But, there’s something inside of us that just won’t let up. Maybe it’s the hope that one day we will make to the big platforms one day. Being a writer is a life worth living despite the usual hang-ups. Falling in love with the process is important. That is a lesson I’ve recently learned. No matter what you may go through as a writer, the point is, don’t give up! Your day is closer than you think. Keep writing.