When I started college (and possibly before that), I heard people say, "I write, but I'm not a writer." In fact, it was extremely common, even among the students of my major (which is Professional Writing). The first time I heard it, I was confused. How can you write, but not be a writer? That's a contradiction in terms. As I heard it over and over again, I grew infuriated at it.
I realized that people say this because they have an idealized idea of what a "writer" is. It seems like it involves people with British accents who spend a great deal of time in their study sitting in a luxurious chair, writing on parchment with a quill. These people sit down and write a perfect novel on their first try.
As ridiculous as it sounds, I think it needs to be said that this is wrong. Every writer is a human being. They're fallible. They have to write something several times to make it just right. They employ the help of others to gain ideas and perspective. They write a lot of crap and throw it out if it's no good.
People worry far too much about whether or not they are writers. That is a worthless question. If you write, you are a writer. There's your answer. The more important question is: Are you a good writer?
About Me
- Kevin Bahler
- I am a writer. A writer is one who writes. By the same logic, I am also a thinker, an observer, and a puzzle solver. I am a graduate from the State University of New York at Cortland with a degree in Professional Writing. The idea of the program is that one studies all three aspects of writing as a whole: Creative Writing, Technical Writing, and Rhetoric. The knowledge I have gained in those subjects is put to use in every aspect of my life. The worst thing a person can be is boring. I am most interested in people who can pique my interests. An example is people who can correctly use the word 'pique'.
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