Can You Call Yourself A Writer?
Hint: Do you write?
The very first time I called myself a writer was years after I’d started a novel.
I toiled hour after hour on that thing, totaling 93,000 words, but it never even occurred to me to call myself a writer. Those people got paid for their work. They had MFAs.
Months after typing “The End” on my manuscript, I was with a new hairstylist. As she ran her fingers through my hair, frowning in concentration she asked, “So, what do you do?”
Indecision gripped me. I didn’t like talking about my day job. It paid the bills, but it wasn’t my passion. I wrote nearly every day, in a fervor of creativity as I worked on my next project. Was I allowed to call myself a writer now?
The hairstylist paused, fingers at my scalp and staring at me in the mirror. She expected an answer.
“I’m a writer.” The words came out of my mouth, surprising me with their familiarity. Why had I waited so long to admit it? Of course I was a writer.
Yet when I handed out my new business cards at my first writing conference, I still felt like an imposter.
But you know what? Nobody questioned me. The only hang-up was in my own head.
Own It
As I work with new writers, there’s nothing that bums me out more than hearing them call themselves an “aspiring writer”.
Do you write? Then you’re a writer.
That’s it.
Whether you write fiction, blog posts, articles, or even novels that never see the light of day, you are a writer.
Only write here on Medium? Still a writer.
You might be a writer aspiring to be published, or maybe you’re aspiring to write full time, but you’re still simply a writer. No aspiring necessary.
Don’t let the specificity of titles or labels exclude you from a community you already belong to.
Try It
Nervous about introducing yourself as a writer? Then start small.
The next time you pick up your coffee and the barista asks you what you do, say it with pride: “I’m a writer.”
Meeting someone new? Introduce yourself as a writer and that will be how they think of you.
Business cards are great for getting the hurdle.
Not only will seeing your name in print with the the word “Writer” as a your title give you a confidence boost, but a well-timed business card can help you get over that initial awkwardness in introductions.
Here’s how: Not ready to answer when somebody asks what you do? Hand them your business card and say, “Here’s my card.” They’ll likely ask for more info, and you can start to talk about what you really enjoy: writing. Awkward moment averted.
The more you use the title, the more comfortable you will feel.
And maybe some day you will work your way toward admitting to your friends, family, or colleagues that you are writer — in addition to the many other fantastic things you may be.
Live It
Anytime we try something new we step outside our comfort zones. Being out there is uncomfortable.
But uncomfortable moments help us grow.
Sometimes that discomfort morphs into something larger inside us. We feel that because we are new to something, we don’t belong.
Take that a step further, and we start to believe we are a fraud, pretending to be something we aren’t.
Yikes. That’s imposter syndrome. And it lies to you.
Think you’re really a fraud? Watch this TEDx Talk with the CEO of Atlassian (if you use Trello, you know Atlassian).
“Well, let me let you in on something: Most days I still feel like I often don’t know what I’m doing.”
— Mike Cannon-Brookes, TEDxSydney 2017
See? We all feel uncomfortable when trying something new. The key is to keep pushing past that feeling until a new thing becomes just another tool at your disposal.
If your passion is writing, and you are putting words on a page whenever you can, you belong within the community of writers.
Push past that hesitation and realize your are on your way to the next exciting chapter in your writing career.
You are a writer. So drop the “aspiring” from your title and just write.
Looking for ways to be more involved in the writing community? Many medium writers are also on Twitter. You’ll find us under the following hashtags: #mediumwriters, #writingcommunity, #amwriting, and more.
