Do you call yourself a writer? At what point in your writing "career" did you start calling yourself a writer? I'm curious to know when and if there was a definitive moment that you felt you could say "I'm a writer" or if it was just something you said all along.
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I considered myself a writer for a long time now. But I felt like I could really tell someone "I'm a writer" when I got my first paying gig.
I have to echo Maestro. I truly felt like a writer for the first time when I first saw my byline in the local paper. Even now over three years later, I still feel a thrill of excitement when I say it.
I really didn't think of myself as a writer until I'd sold three short stories and a novel. This happened within a few months of starting, but even then I wasn't really comfortable telling anyone I was a writer until I was selling on a regular basis.
For me, it was when I realized I could think of doing nothing else with my future. That was about January 1996 or so. About that time I also realized I was actually spending more time thinking of story ideas than any other activity I did in the course of the day.
I still have trouble calling myself a writer in front of other people though - I constantly worry about not living up to their expectations if they know of my obsession. So, most of the time I mention my church secretary job first.
I still have trouble calling myself a writer in front of other people though - I constantly worry about not living up to their expectations if they know of my obsession. So, most of the time I mention my church secretary job first.
Even better than smirk, say something like my sister in law, who I love by the way, said at Christmas when I told her I was writing a novel, "Oh, I've always wanted to do that! I should too, I could just pound it out at work during my lunch breaks!"
I smiled sweetly and replied, "Yeah, you probably could." :rollin
I smiled sweetly and replied, "Yeah, you probably could." :rollin
I call myself and artist, because I think of that as a lifestyle rather than a career. As an artist, I write & record music, I draw, and I write.
If and when my novel is published, I'll call myself a writer. Until then, I'm an artist working on his first novel.
If and when my novel is published, I'll call myself a writer. Until then, I'm an artist working on his first novel.
I called myself a writer the day I finished my first novel. I'm still waiting for it to be published, and I'm half way through my second novel, but that was it for me.
The only times I've ever called myself a writer was when I was using a press pass or seeking an interview.
When I was young writing was considered a career only for pantywaists -- Real men were construction workers who watched football, drank beer, and belched.
When it was discovered I had been published -- The first time I was naive and stupid enough to be proud and brag about it -- People either wanted to borrow money (Thinking I was now rich) or they condemned me for writing genre fiction that was cheap trash designed only to lower the moral fiber of America.
Nowadays I pretty much keep my business to myself.
When I was young writing was considered a career only for pantywaists -- Real men were construction workers who watched football, drank beer, and belched.
When it was discovered I had been published -- The first time I was naive and stupid enough to be proud and brag about it -- People either wanted to borrow money (Thinking I was now rich) or they condemned me for writing genre fiction that was cheap trash designed only to lower the moral fiber of America.
Nowadays I pretty much keep my business to myself.
I've been writing for almost as long as I've been reading and yet I never thought of myself as "a writer" until I had numerous articles, stories, and books in print.
I'm not sure what exactly caused the change in my thinking. I was writing and getting paid for writing and yet... I don't think I really thought of myself as a writer until the day I started penning my novel--the day I began to write what I had wanted to write all along--book-length fiction.
Now I feel comfortable calling myself a writer around other people, although, when I'm by myself, I don't think of myself so much as a writer as someone who's trying to learn and get as much out of writing as I can.
--- Mya Bell
I'm not sure what exactly caused the change in my thinking. I was writing and getting paid for writing and yet... I don't think I really thought of myself as a writer until the day I started penning my novel--the day I began to write what I had wanted to write all along--book-length fiction.
Now I feel comfortable calling myself a writer around other people, although, when I'm by myself, I don't think of myself so much as a writer as someone who's trying to learn and get as much out of writing as I can.
--- Mya Bell
I privately consider myself one, although don't say it yet. If I were published now it'd be a different story.
I haven't been able to say it to myself or to anyone else. I consider myself someone who writes or is learning to write but I can't yet call myself a writer. Hmmm, odd.
I've written all my life, from when I was a kid.
But "a writer"?
I suppose it was when I first got published, and then later got paid.
But when some objective editor or publisher decides your writing is sufficiently good to print, even if you don't get paid, it's what makes you a "writer", as I see it.
But "a writer"?
I suppose it was when I first got published, and then later got paid.
But when some objective editor or publisher decides your writing is sufficiently good to print, even if you don't get paid, it's what makes you a "writer", as I see it.
Hey there, Mya! Good to see you here, I hope you stick around. What a great addition to this group!
I think I called myself a writer the day I made up some business cards with my name and Freelane Writer as my title, a spiffy little card I needed to feel legitimate when I went to interview a lady in a nursing home for an article I was writing.
I have three poems published, but that was over 10 years ago, and it was more dabbling than anything, and I was only paid in copies.
I don't think I will really consider myself a writer until I have an actual article published, maybe even not till I get a check for one.
I think I called myself a writer the day I made up some business cards with my name and Freelane Writer as my title, a spiffy little card I needed to feel legitimate when I went to interview a lady in a nursing home for an article I was writing.
I have three poems published, but that was over 10 years ago, and it was more dabbling than anything, and I was only paid in copies.
I don't think I will really consider myself a writer until I have an actual article published, maybe even not till I get a check for one.
writer
Long after I'd been published and paid. It was when I crossed over to writing full time, and asked my then publisher what I should say when people ask what I do.
"Tell them you're a writer."
Seems silly now, it was so obvious. At the time I had the ideas a writer was Steinbeck or King or Roth or a Michaelangelo of the art. I'm not that.
Long after I'd been published and paid. It was when I crossed over to writing full time, and asked my then publisher what I should say when people ask what I do.
"Tell them you're a writer."
Seems silly now, it was so obvious. At the time I had the ideas a writer was Steinbeck or King or Roth or a Michaelangelo of the art. I'm not that.
I will if I sell any fiction. Right now my only sale was a non-fiction book, and I do more editing than writing.
I think it in my head, though
I think it in my head, though
Hmmm, even though I've finished the first draft of my thriller and am researching the next one I still wouldn't call myself a writer, maybe I will if I get published.
Although it's nice that a friend, who is an avid fan of my writing, called me a writer last week.
BTW hi Mya, nice to see you here!
Although it's nice that a friend, who is an avid fan of my writing, called me a writer last week.
BTW hi Mya, nice to see you here!
We have the good fortune of 20 years of public relations writing, so our business cards have always said writer, or senior writer or something like that. That has made it easy to say we're a writer now that we're only working part time and spending the rest of our life obsessing over a couple of novels.
But then there's the question people ask: Have I read anything you've written?
Our answer is always the same. Not yet.
But then there's the question people ask: Have I read anything you've written?
Our answer is always the same. Not yet.
About two-thirds of the way through my fourth novel. I'd sold each of the previous three, but it wasn't till then that I really committed myself to seriously pursuing a writing career.
- Victoria
- Victoria
<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>But then there's the question people ask: Have I read anything you've written?<hr></blockquote>
I say, "I don't know—have you?" if my meter detects bs.
Otherwise, "If you haven't you should..." along those lines.
I say, "I don't know—have you?" if my meter detects bs.
Otherwise, "If you haven't you should..." along those lines.
Whaddaya mean were?
I think when (or if) writing is my job, then I'll call myself a writer. Otherwise, it seems (IMHO) to be a bit pretentious.
I've never identified myself as a "writer," even though my newspaper articles (local) are published regularly. I'll consider myself a "writer" when I finally stop getting rejection slips for my novel.
Oddly enough, though, as soon as other people find out I've written a novel -- published or not -- they start calling me a "writer."
Oddly enough, though, as soon as other people find out I've written a novel -- published or not -- they start calling me a "writer."
I was in the 4th grade. I wrote my first song, which I look back on with embarrassment. As I lived a little and loved a little more and became more involved in the world around me I soon evolved as a "professional" writer and was published when I was a senior in high school. That's when others "saw" me as a writer.
Just to continue the discussion further: do any of you feel you need to be published in order to call yourself a writer?
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