How to Be a Writer - Lesson 1: Learn to Write

If you are reading this, chances are you already know how to write. You can pick up a writing utensil (any will do) and put words down on a piece of paper (or just about any other surface). It's that simple. So, if you want to be a writer so badly, why are you reading about writing, instead of just writing? I would like to hazard an answer on your behalf. Learning to write is actually much harder than it sounds.

The first thing you must do as an aspiring writer, is to define (isn't that what we do best?) what you mean by "writer." Are you looking to be published? To finish a project? To receive awards and recognition? To record what you think and feel for a select few to read? What do you want out of your writing? Is it for others or for yourself? These questions NEED to be answered - but you don't have to answer them all right now. And, truth be told, your answers will probably change over time.

So, to help you work out your "writer" definition, I would like you to finish these sentences:

"Writers are..."

"Writers do..."

"Writers don't..."

"Writers can..."

"Writers can't..."

"Writers know..."

"Writers have..."

And if you have any other variations, go ahead and use those too. But write out (and I mean write with a pen, don't just type) at least 10 sentences of the first things you think of. These are what you associate with the idea -and ideal- of writers. Some of these may be negatives, some may be things that you feel you will never reach, and hopefully some are positives. If you don't have any positive statements, I would question yourself as to why you are so keen on writing.

Read them over a few times, notice any themes or recurring issues, then continue with the exercise. Turn any negative statements into positive ones. Then put "I" where "writers" used to be (adjust grammar accordingly) and write out the new sentences. Feel free to change the sentence around if you feel you are honing in on the specifics. Some of these may be blocking you from writing, so be sure to break down those walls and give yourself space to move past them. Now you should have 10 strong positive statements about yourself as a writer - perhaps not as you are right now, but as you would like to be depending on whatever your definition of writer is.

Write these statements out once a day for 10 days (again, WRITE them, don't type them). Allow these I-Statements to change who you are and how you think about writing. Allow them to help you become the writer you want to be.

1. Writers are published.

2. Writers don't make grammatical errors.

3. Writers are older and wiser than me.

4. Writers are entirely original all the time.

5. Writers always enjoy what they do.

6. Writers have to do a lot of research.

7. Writers are always working.

8. Writers have fun writing and reading.

9. Writers have something important and deep to say to the world.

10. Writers are "real" only if others read and enjoy what they've written.

And these statements became:

1. I write because I enjoy it; not for praise or publication.

2. I understand that first, 2nd, and 20th drafts are all part of the process.

3. I write right now. I don't need to wait until a birthday or some other outside event tells me I'm ready.

4. I write about what interests me, whether it's a timeless truth (i.e. cliche) or new idea.

5. I enjoy writing most of the time and when I find myself not enjoying it, I change something so that I do (going outside, changing genres or topics, co-writing with another, etc).

6. I research when I need to and I don't let it stop me from writing about a topic that is new and intriguing to me.

7. My writing does not need to be a chore or a source of income.

8. I have fun writing and reading what others have written.

9. I have something important to say simply because I have a perspective unique from all the others in the world.

10. I write because I write, not because others read what I write.

I hope this has helped you in some small way to move toward your goal of becoming a writer.

I credit Julia Cameron and her book The Right to Write for the kernel of this exercise idea.