Have You Got What it Takes to be a Writer?

by Laura Fabiani @ NouveauWriter

So you want to be a writer? You dream of writing that blockbuster novel. You want to see your article published in that glossy magazine you love to read. There’s just one problem. Writing takes time. And you don’t have it.

“I’m so busy!” you exclaim in frustration. “I do want to write, really, but who has the time?” If that’s your attitude, then you might as well face the fact you’ll never be a writer. Never? Never!

Writing is hard work, and it requires time, devotion and diligence. It requires patience and humility (especially when your editor questions your plot development). But here is a little secret. If you truly aspire to be a writer, you can be. Here are two things you need to do: change your attitude and make the time to write. Sounds simple? It’s not, but it certainly can be done.

Let’s explore these two requirements more closely. When it comes to attitude, William James of Harvard University said, “Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” If you don’t believe you’ll ever write your novel or short story or memoir, then it stands to reason that you’ll never write your novel or short story or memoir.

Conversely, if you believe you can do it, then you set yourself up to succeed. You have the power to shape your life, to make things happen, to expect accomplishment by working diligently toward your goal. With a positive and healthy attitude you will not give up when the going gets tough, because the going always gets tough when you’re a writer.

Change the way you think by saying, “I’m a writer.” Then start acting like a writer, which brings me to the second requirement needed to become one–making the time to write. Notice I did not say, finding the time to write, but making the time to write. What’s the difference?

If you’re looking for more time, you won’t find it. We all wish a day had more than 24 hours, and if it did, I can safely bet we would still lack time. Why is that? Well, life today is hectic and quickly filled with various activities, both essential and non-essential. More time can sometimes mean more non-essential activities to fill it.

But stop and think for a minute. What’s your favourite activity? Do you have the time to do it? If we are honest with ourselves, we will discover to our surprise that we do make time for the things we truly love to do.

So do you love writing? If you do, then you will make the time for it. You will schedule it into your agenda much as you would schedule in watching your favourite TV show, reading, exercising, surfing the Net, blogging, playing a sport, etc. This will mean cutting out unimportant activities from your busy to-do list and setting that time aside to write.

Writing is an art. It takes time, precious time taken from an already demanding schedule. Most writers can attest to this fact because very few have the luxury of writing full-time and making a living solely from their writing.

You work full time? Can you schedule time in the evenings and weekends? You’re a mother with small children? Can you write during naptime, at the park while your child is playing, or after the household has gone to sleep? That’s what I do. My passion for writing gives me that second wind after a tiring day of mothering, working and housecleaning.

I will ask you again: You want to be a writer? Make the first steps. Develop a positive, healthy attitude and schedule in the time to write. Before you know it, you will become the writer you’ve always wanted to be.