| You've heard it... the best way to become a | | | | you've been doing, then it's time to pull it out and |
| writer is to write. You shouldn't be surprised. It's | | | | give it a little sunshine. Meaning... |
| true. | | | | Share your work with someone. Try it out on a |
| But it's not the whole truth. There's another | | | | co-worker, or your grandmother, or your spouse, |
| element that's equally important. You have to | | | | someone you feel you can trust has your best |
| believe in yourself as a writer. That can be quite a | | | | interests at heart. |
| challenge, particularly for young writers just | | | | Just give it a shot. |
| starting out. | | | | It'll probably be scary at first, but that's the whole |
| When you lack the confidence to call yourself a | | | | point. You have to be willing to challenge yourself, |
| writer, sitting down to write becomes | | | | to step out of your comfort zone and take a |
| exponentially more difficult. | | | | chance. |
| So what can you do to overcome this behemoth | | | | 3. Behave Like A Author |
| challenge? | | | | Want to feel like an author? Do what an author |
| See if these suggestions can help: | | | | does. Write every day, at a set time. Set a daily |
| 1. Write For Yourself | | | | goal. Maybe it's an hour a day. Or maybe it's a |
| Writing is about passion. It doesn't matter if your | | | | daily word count, such as 500 words. Either will do |
| love is for writing magazine articles or poetry or | | | | the trick. The point is to hold yourself accountable |
| historical romances or a newspaper column. As | | | | on a daily basis. |
| long as you hold true to your vision, you'll have a | | | | 4. Make Things Happen |
| powerful bedrock to help you through the tough | | | | Again, if you want to feel like a writer, act like |
| times. As a result, you'll find yourself working | | | | writer... submit your work to publishers. Are you |
| much quicker through those days when the right | | | | setting yourself up for rejection? Yeah, there's a |
| word just never seems to show itself and you | | | | good chance of that. Won't a rejection make you |
| feel like anything but a writer. | | | | feel like a failed writer? It shouldn't. Not in the |
| 2. Take A Chance | | | | slightest. I've never met a professional writer who |
| Sometimes it's easy to forget that writing is a | | | | hasn't got a file of rejection letters. It's an |
| form of communication. It doesn't do you any | | | | important part of the process. |
| good to lock your writing in the bottom drawer | | | | Bottom line: you have to send out your work. |
| of your desk and forget about it. If that's what | | | | |